Former Mauritanian President, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, has been sentenced to five years in prison by a Nouakchott court on charges related to abusing his power to accumulate wealth.
This trial, which involved him and ten other personalities, including two former prime ministers, former ministers, and businessmen, has been ongoing since January 2023.
After several days of deliberation behind closed doors, the 66-year-old former head of state received the heaviest sentence among all the defendants.
The allegations included illicit enrichment, abuse of office, influence peddling, and money laundering, with the court finding Aziz guilty of illicit enrichment and money laundering specifically.
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The court further ordered the confiscation of assets obtained through these actions and imposed a disqualification on Aziz from exercising his civil rights. He becomes one of the few former African heads of state convicted of illicit enrichment while in power.
The trial is a significant political event in Mauritania, a country that has in the past been subject to coups. Aziz led the country until 2019, during which he presided over relative stability in a nation that has battled with political turbulence and jihadist activities.
So significant was the political upheaval that the transition of power from Aziz to Ghazouani in 2019 marked the country’s first transition not enforced by force. However, Aziz’s wealth accumulation during his tenure prompted investigations that have subsequently led to his conviction.
“The trial we attended is a political trial; it is very political in its verdict too,” said one of Mr. Aziz’s defense lawyers, Mohameden Ould Icheddou.
