Corruption: Court Sentences Mauritania's Ex-President Aziz to 5 Years in Jail, Confiscates Assets
- Former Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has been sentenced to five years in prison for corruption
- The court in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on Monday, December 4 also ordered the confiscation of Aziz's unlawfully acquired assets
- Aziz, who claimed innocence throughout the trial, alleged that the prosecution was politically motivated, and one of his lawyers stated plans to appeal the verdict
Legit.ng journalist Nurudeen Lawal has 8 years of experience covering Presidential Administrations
Nouakchott, Mauritania - A former president of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for corruption.
A court in Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott, on Monday, December 4, found Aziz guilty of money laundering and abusing his position to enrich himself illegally.
Source: Getty Images
The court, according to BBC, also ordered the confiscation of the former president's illegally acquired assets.
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Legit.ng gathers that the court acquitted Aziz on the other charges.
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's ordeal
Aziz had been on trial since January alongside 10 other prominent figures, including two former prime ministers and former ministers who served in his administration.
They were charged with several offences, including abuse of power, money laundering, illicit enrichment and influence peddling.
The court also sentenced some of the co-accused on Monday.
Aziz, throughout the trial, claimed he was innocent, alleging that his prosecution was politically motivated.
The former president was said to have fallen out with his successor and current President, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, who was once his close political ally.
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz may appeal sentence
One of Aziz's lawyers, Mohameden Ould Icheddou, said there are plans to appeal against the court's verdict, Africannews reported.
"The trial we attended was a political trial, and its verdict is also very political," Icheddou was quoted as saying.
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's sentencing: Nigerians react
The jailing of the former president of Mauritania has elicited reactions from Nigerians.
Da Mentor, @SeniorManJoe, said:
"Let Nigeria learn from this: no man is above the law, Buhari and his cohorts should be behind bars now for corruption and others for what happened in Lekki tollgates in 2020."
Odogwu Anioma, @jidifeanyi, said:
"We give them chieftaincy titles in Nigeria and make them tribal lords."
@ihatelooters, @DavidOjukwu6, said:
"If this is possible in Nigeria some noise makers would be in jail by now and not be outside playing saints of hypocrisy."
SERAP asks Tinubu to probe Buhari
In other news, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to probe the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, for allegedly withdrawing funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The advocacy group stated:
“The Tinubu administration must promptly probe the allegations that former President Buhari 'illegally withdrew public funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria', name and shame those involved, and bring them to justice, or face legal action.”
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Source: Legit.ng
