The High Court has registered the appeal lodged by former Maldivian president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom over the USD 3.4 million fine he is required to pay within six months for money laundering.

High Court’s spokesperson Ameen Faisal told Sun the appeal was registered with the court Sunday.

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison and fined USD 5 million for money laundering and bribery in connection to the sale of V. Aarah for resort development on December 25, 2022.

The USD 5 million fine included a USD 3.4 million fine for money laundering and USD 1.6 million fine bribery.

Yameen appealed the USD 3.4 million fine with the High Court on March 13.

The 11-year sentence against him has also been appealed with the High Court, though the court has yet to register the appeal.

Yameen, who is the opposition PPM-PNC coalition’s presidential candidate, needs to win the appeal in order to qualify for the presidential election in September.

The sentence against him had come a year after he was acquitted after getting convicted of similar charges in 2019.