Ex-Mauritania President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz Sentenced to 15 Years’ Jail for Corruption

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A Mauritanian appeals court has upheld and escalated a 2023 corruption ruling, sentencing former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz to 15 years in prison and imposing a $3 million fine. The ex-military general, who came to power through coups before serving as president from 2009 to 2019, was convicted of money laundering and illicit self-enrichment after investigators found he had accumulated over $70 million in assets during his decade in office.

Aziz, who has been in custody since his initial conviction last year, is one of the few African leaders to face legal consequences for corruption while in office—a case that has drawn international attention. His legal team claims the charges are politically motivated, linked to a rift with his successor, President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani.

The trial stemmed from a 2020 parliamentary probe into alleged corruption under Aziz’s administration, which implicated 11 others. While Wednesday’s ruling acquitted six high-ranking former officials, it upheld a two-year prison sentence for Aziz’s son-in-law on influence-peddling charges. The court also ordered the dissolution of the *Errahma* (Mercy) Foundation, run by Aziz’s son, and authorized the seizure of its assets.

The verdict marks a potential turning point for Mauritania’s judiciary, signaling a tougher stance on high-level corruption. However, the case remains politically charged in a nation still navigating its democratic transition.