Former Mauritanian President Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Corruption

In a rare corruption trial in West Africa, former Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has been handed a five-year prison sentence by a Mauritanian court. Aziz, a strongman who played a significant role in leading two coups and served two terms as president, was found guilty of charges including money laundering and self-enrichment, as confirmed by his attorneys on Tuesday.

The landmark trial, spanning 11 months, accused Aziz and other high-ranking Mauritanian officials of diverting state funds for personal gain. Notably, it stands out as a rare instance in the region where a former African leader faced trial for corruption. However, Aziz’s defence team portrayed the trial as politically motivated, emphasising a supposed conflict between him and current President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani.

Aziz and Ghazouani, previously allies, experienced strained relations after Ghazouani succeeded Aziz as president in 2019, marking the country’s first peaceful transfer of power since its independence. Their discord intensified over Aziz’s bid to take control of a major political party post-presidency. A parliamentary commission initiated a corruption inquiry in 2020, leading to Monday’s verdict.

While the court sentenced Aziz to prison and ordered the confiscation of his unlawfully obtained assets, it cleared four former government ministers, including two prime ministers, of the same corruption charges. Notably, several charges against Aziz, including embezzlement and actions harmful to public welfare, were dropped in the verdict.