COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Sha'ban 26, 1433, Jul 16, 2012, SPA - Prosecutors say the former president of the Maldives has been formally charged with illegally ordering the arrest of a senior judge, a move which sparked weeks of public protests and led to his ouster earlier this year. Deputy Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem says charges were filed against former President Mohamed Nasheed on Sunday. They carry a maximum penalty of three years in detention, according to a report of the Associated Press. Nasheed ordered the military in January to arrest the chief judge of the country's criminal court. He resigned as president in February after losing the support of the military and police. He now insists he was ousted in a coup. --SPA 11:49 LOCAL TIME 08:49 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/1015776