Former Mauritanian president might get 20 year prison term
Graft allegations against a former Mauritanian president have finally reached a critical point, reports AFP/Africanews on October 24th.
A Mauritanian prosecutor requested a 20-year prison sentence for former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
Aziz has been on trial since January 25 for apparently abusing his power in office in order to become rich during a period when he ruled the Sahelian nation from 2008 to 2019. He also stands accused of corruption on a grand scale along with a small entourage of others who will receive sentences at a later point.
Prosecutor Ahmed Ould Moustapha said “All elements in the hands of the courts proved that a crime has been committed”. He called for the former leader’s assets to be confiscated.
According to AFP, Aziz has maintained his innocence and said the trial is political and should be dismissed even going as far as claiming that there were a number of proceedings which were illegal and worked against him, in particular being refused to have his own witnesses in court.
Ten other people, including two former prime ministers as well as former ministers and business men, are on trial with Aziz.
They have been accused of illicitly amassing wealth, abusing their functions and “influence peddling”.
AFP/Africanews
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