The Maldives Criminal Court found former President Abdulla Yameen guilty of corruption and money laundering related to receiving kickbacks from a private company.

The court said it expects the verdict to be announced shortly. Yameen denies any wrongdoing, Reuters reported.

Yameen, who lost power in 2018, was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $5 million in 2019 for embezzling $1 million in public funds that the prosecution said were derived from leasing development rights to the resort.

After his conviction, Yameen was placed under house arrest in 2020, but was released a few months later.

After his release, Yameen returned to active politics, campaigning against Indian influence in the Maldives, which raised concerns in New Delhi.

Yameen is the announced presidential candidate of the Maldives Progressive Party in the elections to be held in 2023.