Sri Lankan acquitted by Maldives court after serving one-year jail sentence
Executive Intelligence Dispatch
A Sri Lankan national has been acquitted by the Maldives High Court after serving a one-year jail sentence for allegedly smuggling gold.
Key Facts & Findings
- —Mohamed Sulaimhan, a Sri Lankan national, was sentenced to one year in prison in the Maldives for smuggling more than 2.2kg of gold.
- —The conviction was overturned by the High Court on October 28, 2026, exactly one year after the original sentence.
- —The acquittal was based on the court's ruling that the charges did not meet the legal requirements to establish the offence of smuggling.
“The court noted that the prosecution had acknowledged that the gold was neither a prohibited item nor subject to customs duty.”
“Rejecting the State’s argument that undeclared gold could be considered an unauthorised commodity, the High Court ruled that conduct cannot be criminalised unless it is explicitly defined as an offence under the law.”
The acquittal highlights concerns about the Maldives' customs laws and the potential for arbitrary enforcement.
The outcome of this case may have implications for future smuggling cases in the Maldives.
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Sri Lankan acquitted by Maldives court after serving one-year jail sentence
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