In Maldives, former president Abdulla Yameen has been found guilty of money laundering and sentenced to five years in prison. 

The five-judge bench of the criminal court unanimously concurred that Yameen is guilty on the charge of laundering state funds for personal gain. 

He has been accused of receiving US $1 million of government money through a private company as part of a deal to lease a number of tropical islands for hotel development. 

The bench ruled that former President while in office, violated an agreement signed with the anti-corruption commission to hold the money in an escrow account. 

The court also fined the 60-year-old opposition leader with  5 million US dollars. 

He served as Maldives President from 2013 to 2018 when he lost his reelection bid last year.