Ex-president arrested

NOUAKCHOTT: Mauritanian authorities have arrested former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, one of his lawyers said yesterday, amid an investigation into alleged highlevel corruption during his time in office.

Abdel Aziz, who stepped down in 2019 after serving two five-year terms, was indicted in March and placed under house arrest in May, following a parliamentary investigation into suspected graft during his administration.

Abdel Aziz, 64, was taken into custody late on Tuesday for failing to appear before a judge last week, as he is required to do regularly under the terms of his judicial supervision, said the lawyer.

He said Abdel Aziz had stopped going to see the judge because each time he went he was followed by police and civilians along the road who hassled and threatened him.

Abdel Aziz could not be reached yesterday for comment. He has previously denied the corruption allegations. He came to power in a 2008 coup and was replaced by a political ally, current president Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, but quickly found that his government’s actions, including deals on offshore oil projects, came under scrutiny by parliament.

Former prime minister Ismail Ould Cheikh Sidiya and his entire government resigned amid the parliamentary investigation last year.