The state has formally appealed to the High Court against the Criminal Court's ruling that found the charges against former Chief of Defence Force Ahmed Shiyam not proven. The appeal follows the Criminal Court's decision last year, which cleared Shiyam of allegations that he misused his position during his tenure under former President Abdulla Yameen’s administration.

Shiyam was charged with allegedly allowing his father to reside at a military VIP building in Vilimale’ and assigning a soldier to assist his father with personal needs. The charges were filed by the state after an investigation led by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Despite the accusations, the Criminal Court found that there was insufficient evidence to support the claims, leading to the acquittal of Shiyam.

The state has now taken the case to the High Court, filing the appeal late last month, seeking a review of the verdict. The original case was based on a report from the ACC, which had initially sent the case for prosecution in 2020 following an order from the Prosecutor General. However, the commission had concluded that there was no concrete evidence to substantiate the allegations against Shiyam, despite the charges being filed.

As the case progresses to the High Court, the outcome remains uncertain, with the state now looking to overturn the previous ruling and bring the matter back under legal scrutiny.