Mauritanian ex-president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz charged with corruption

A judge in Mauritania’s capital Nouakchott on Thursday charged ex-president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and about ten other figures with corruption, following an investigation into his decade-long rule.

The move marks the latest step in the downfall of Aziz, a former general who seized power in the Saharan state in 2008, which began when investigators started probing his financial affairs last year.

Following a state prosecutor’s request, the judge also placed Aziz, one of his sons-in-law, two former prime ministers, five former government ministers and four businessmen under judicial supervision, according to a source close to the case.

Mohameden Ould Icheddou, one of Aziz’s lawyers, confirmed the information to AFP. He added that his client refused to answer questions from the judge, claiming constitutional immunity.

Aziz, 64, launched a military coup in 2008 and served two terms as president before being succeeded in August 2019 by Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, his former right-hand man and ex-defence minister.

Ghazouani has kept Aziz at arm’s length since he came to power, however.

Last year, Mauritania’s parliament established a commission to investigate suspected embezzlement under Aziz.

Among other issues, the inquiry probed the handling of oil revenue, the sale of state property, the winding up of a publicly owned food-supply company and the activities of a Chinese fishing firm.

Police then detained Aziz in August for questioning in the case, before stripping him of his passport.

The former president refused to answer questions then too.

“I am a victim of a settling of old scores, but I am going to defend myself,” Aziz said after his release from detention in August.

After months of investigation, Aziz was summoned on Wednesday to a hearing with the state prosecutor, who interviewed about 30 people allegedly implicated before deciding to request charges for about ten…..read more

 

Source: France24

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