Maldives top court rejects jailed ex-leader’s plea for eligibility to run again for president

MALE, Maldives (AP) — The highest court in the Maldives has  rejected a plea  from the country’s jailed former president that he be made eligible to contest next month’s presidential election. Abdullah Yameen’s lawyers argued the former leader should be eligible to stand in the election because the corruption case that he was convicted of is under appeal in a higher court and there is a possibility that it can be overturned. The seven-member Supreme Court bench however rejected it. Yameen is currently under a  11-year jail term after being convicted of money laundering and bribery.