Former President of the Football Association of Maldives, FAM, Bassam Adil Jaleel, has refused to attend his court hearing in his prison uniform, as he is serving a nine-year jail sentence for fraud and money laundering charges.
Bassam was scheduled to attend a hearing for additional charges filed against him this morning at 8:15. However, it was reported that Bassam refused to step out of his jail cell as prison officers attempted to bring him to court in cuffs and in his prison uniform.
The hearing was postponed as the defendant refused to move from his cell. However, corrections officers confirmed that Bassam was later taken to the Court around 11:00 in the morning and that he was taken to the hearing in his own clothes.
The official added that Bassam was taken to court in handcuffs.
The Criminal Court today scheduled a hearing on the case of Bassam laundering FAM funds to buy an apartment in Amin Avenue. Bassam has been charged with embezzlement of $1,200,000 from the FAM and money laundering.
If convicted of fraud, Bassam faces a jail term of one year, seven months, and six days. If convicted of money laundering, he faces a fine of between MVR 100,000 and MVR 1,000,000 and a jail term of between five and 15 years.
Bassam has been convicted of fraud and several money laundering charges and is serving a total of nine years in prison.
