Mauritania: former president Aziz, still imprisoned, asks Ghazouani to intervene

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani (left) and his predecessor, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (right).

© AFP - Seyllou / RFI editing

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz asks his successor, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, to no longer " 

be a passive witness to an injustice

 ".

In a letter dated December 8, published in the Mauritanian press and authenticated for RFI by his lawyers, he denounces the judicial investigation of which he is the subject.

Aziz has been in jail since June 22 for not respecting the rules of his judicial review.

He is accused of illicit enrichment, concealment and money laundering during the ten years he was in power.

For him, this case is a political conspiracy.

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With

Gaëlle Laleix,

from the Africa service of RFI

In his letter to the Head of State,

Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz

wishes to address himself to the one who is also the President of the Superior Council of the Magistracy: “ 

You cannot be the passive witness of such a grotesque plot, […] your role forbids you morally and legally.

 "

In passing, the former president reminds his successor,

Mohamed Ould Ghazouani

, who was before his closest advisor, that he is " 

the only one, if not one of the few people to know the origin and the traceability of [his ] goods

 ”.

"The investigation could even be closed at the beginning of 2022"

For Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's lawyers,

his pre-trial detention is abusive

, while the investigation is not moving forward.

Either we judge him, or we release him, but we cannot keep him in prison like this,

 " says Mr. Taleb Khiyar indignantly, recalling that the other co-defendants in this case are free.

It is because they did not derogate from their judicial control

 ", explains Me Brahim Ould Ebety, president of the bar, at the head of the pole of state lawyers appointed for this case.

According to him, the instruction is progressing on the contrary by leaps and bounds.

All the defendants and witnesses were heard by the judge.

The instruction could even be closed at the beginning of 2022

 ", concludes the president. 

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  • Mauritania

  • Mohamed Ould Ghazouani

  • Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz

  • Corruption

  • Justice