In a blow to Yameen, court rejects his secret witnesses

The Maldives' top court yesterday rejected three "secret" witnesses offered by President Abdulla Yameen in his petition to have his September election defeat annulled, in what is likely a major blow to his case.

The refusal came as the Supreme Court concluded its hearings, which also saw Yameen allege disappearing ink was used on ballot papers, and said it would deliver its verdict at an unspecified later date.

Lawyers for Yameen, who was beaten in the election despite all his main rivals being in prison or in exile, had said the three unnamed witnesses would reveal how the vote was rigged.

The country's independent Elections Commission (EC) through its lawyers argued Yameen's petition was based on false allegations and should be dismissed.

Local media also reported four of the five election commissioners have fled the country and sought refuge in neighbouring Sri Lanka following death threats after Yameen lost the election.

Despite Yameen's main competitors being out of the way and the media in his pocket, he was beaten by Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the joint candidate of the beleaguered opposition.

Under pressure from abroad, Yameen initially conceded defeat and said he would stand down on November 17, but then last week filed his petition -- and despite the threat of sanctions form US, EU and India.

Yameen's lawyer Mohamed Saleem told the court that the printer of ballot papers of coating them with an unnamed substance that made votes marked in Yameen's box disappear.

Counting officials also allegedly carried secret pens, in the form of rings on their fingers, which they used to mark ballots for the opposition. Opposition lawyer Hisan Hussain said the entire challenge was based on "pure conspiracy theories".