Former Mauritanian president jailed for 15 years following appeal

By Kissima Diagana

NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) - Mauritania's erstwhile president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, was connected Wednesday sentenced to 15 years successful situation connected corruption charges pursuing an entreaty to a Nouakchott tribunal by some the authorities and Aziz's defence against a condemnation imposed successful 2023.

Abdel Aziz led the West African state for a decennary aft coming to powerfulness successful a 2008 coup, followed by an predetermination a twelvemonth later. He was an state of Western powers warring Islamist militants successful the Sahel region.

Abdel Aziz, who has denied corruption allegations, was recovered blameworthy of economical crimes and maltreatment of power. He was initially handed a five-year situation condemnation successful December 2023 earlier the authorities appealed against the leniency of that punishment and Aziz's squad appealed the ruling, saying lone a precocious tribunal of justness was qualified to effort a erstwhile president.

"It is simply a determination that reflects the unit the enforcement subdivision exerts connected the judiciary," defence lawyer Mohameden Ichidou told Reuters, adding that the defence would entreaty against the determination to the Supreme Court.

Brahim Ebety, 1 of the plaintiff lawyers for the Mauritanian state, welcomed the ruling.

"All the grounds has established that the erstwhile president, who single-handedly ruled the full country, is the perpetrator of illicit enrichment, maltreatment of power, and wealth laundering," helium said.

Abdel Aziz was elected connected a five-year mandate successful 2009 and for a 2nd word successful 2014. An predetermination successful 2019 led to a peaceful transportation of powerfulness to Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, initially an state of Abdel Aziz, but whose parliament aboriginal brought charges against him.

(Editing by Portia Crowe, editing by Ed Osmond)