Maldives court found former President Abdulla Yameen guilty of money laundering, sentencing him to five years in prison and a fine of $ 5 million, TASS reported referring to Xinhua News Agency.

The court charged Yameen with the appropriation of $ 1 million from state funds received from leasing land to private companies for the construction of hotels.

The Prosecutor General's Office of the Maldives during the trial insisted on a tougher sentence for attempts to obstruct the investigation and false testimony. Yameen pleaded not guilty and denied the charges against him.