The Maldivian high court has ordered the release of former President Abdulla Yameen from detention as there was not enough evidence to hold him on allegations of witness tampering, local media reported Friday.
Yameen was detained last month after a criminal court ordered authorities to take him into custody until a money-laundering case against him is concluded in court, reported Chinese news agency Xinhua.
The prosecution asked the court to take Yameen into custody to prevent him from influencing the evidence against him.
However, the Maldivian High Court, on Thursday said Yameen could not be held in detention for over a month and the prosecution had not provided any reason to extend his remand in custody.
Yameen was being held under house arrest and not in jail due to ill health.
The former president is facing allegations of money laundering and the criminal court has already frozen his local bank account holding nearly 6.5 million US dollars.
Yameen has denied any wrong-doing and appealed against the allegations. (UNI)
