Former President Maumoon Gayyoom lodges defamation case against Miadhu Daily editor

Former President, Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has lodged a defamation case against the managing editor of Miadhu Daily, Abdul Latheef, after the news company reported a New York Times article alleging corruption during Gayyoom’s 30 year regime.

A Miadhu Daily report published today says Abdul Latheef is being sued for misleading the public about Gayyoom’s presidency, according to the former president’s lawyer Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim.

Miadhu Daily reports Waheed saying that an article in the June 13 edition of Miadhu Daily, written by Ali Fahudhu, prompted Gayyoom to take legal action against the newspaper.

Gayyoom wishes to receive financial compensation for defamation of his character, reports Miadhu Daily.

Miadhu Daily claims it has not published any information not included in the New York Times article, and the Miadhu report referenced the original report. Miadhu Daily says it views the New York Times as an international media news source, which it used because the information was relevant to the Maldives.

Miadhu Daily reports that Waheed said Gayyoom’s legal team is investigating if the former president can take legal action against Gayyoom’s former cabinet minister, Ahmed Abdulla, who is CEO of Miadhu Daily, and the team is also preparing a case against the New York Times.

The New York Times article said the current Maldivian government is working to reclaim US$ 400 million allegedly stolen from public coffers during Gayyoom’s administration.

The former president has also lodged a defamation case against Ali Hashim, the current finance minister, after he was quoted in the New York Times report saying that if the allegedly looted money could be reclaimed, the current government would not need the foreign aid it is seeking today.

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