The World Briefly
January 30, 2023The Embarrassment of Riches
Mauritania
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Mauritania began trying former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz for graft this week in a landmark trial for the Sahel country where prosecutions against former leaders are unprecedented, Agence France-Presse reported.
Aziz and nine other defendants, including prime ministers, are facing a slew of charges including abuse of office, money laundering, and illicit enrichment.
The former president stands accused of siphoning off money from state contracts and the sale of real estate, amassing a fortune equivalent to more than $72 million.
He has denied the allegations.
Aziz came to power in a bloodless coup in 2008 and left office in 2019 after two terms in which he defused a jihadist insurgency that has plagued other countries in the Sahel region.
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, his former right-hand man, succeeded him in the first peaceful transition of power in the country’s history, which has been defined by military coups and unrest.
But soon after the handover, parliament opened a probe into financial dealings during Aziz’s presidency, including investigations into oil revenues, sales of state assets and the activities of a Chinese fishing company.
Ghazouani denied any involvement in the case.
It’s unclear how long the trial will last, but some Mauritanians told the AFP that they hope the proceedings would set a new standard in the country’s fight against corruption.
Transparency International ranks Mauritania 140th out of 180 countries on its Corruption Perceptions Index for 2021.
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