Yesterday, the Mauritanian Public Prosecution requested a 20 -year prison sentence for former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who has been being tried since last November before an appeals court in Nouakchott on charges of using power to collect a huge wealth.
The Prosecutor of the Court of Appeal, Judge Sidi Mohamed Ould Eddi Ould Moulay, accused the former president of exploiting his position to achieve personal interests.
The Public Prosecutor said that the former president “turns the presidency into a brokerage office and blackmailing investors,” stressing that the accused is involved in widespread financial corruption cases.
It is worth noting that Ould Abdel Aziz, who ruled Mauritania from 2008 to 2019, has been in detention since his first trial began in January 2023, and the first degree of litigation ended to sentenced him to 5 years in prison in December 2023 after being convicted of two washing crimes Funds and illegal enrichment.
Exploiting positions and influence
However, the public prosecutor asked the court yesterday, Monday, to impose a 20 -year prison sentence against Ould Abdel Aziz and 10 years in prison for a number of former ministers accused of him in this case.
The Prosecutor also requested the dissolution of the “Mercy Charitable Society”, which was established and chaired by the son of the late former president, Ahmed Ould Abdel Aziz, and the confiscation of its money.
Ould Abdel Aziz was represented by the court, along with about 10 other defendants, who are former and close to him, including former prime ministers, former ministers, and two major companies.
All of them are tried on charges of “illegal enrichment”, “exploitation of the position”, “exploitation of influence” and “money laundering”, knowing that Ould Abdel Aziz constantly denies all the charges against him.
(Tagstotranslate) Arabic (T) (T) (T) Mauritania