A court in Mauritania’s capital sentenced former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz to five years in prison on Monday for corruption.
Aziz, who ruled the country from 2008 to 2019, was convicted of illicit enrichment and laundering but cleared of other charges, including abuse of power and influence-peddling.
The court also ordered the confiscation of Aziz’s illicitly acquired assets.
Aziz did not react to the verdict. He has been in detention since January 24, having also spent several months in prison in 2021.
Aziz’s lawyers said they would appeal the verdict. They called the trial a “political witch hunt.”
Aziz came to power in a 2008 coup. He was elected president in 2009 and re-elected in 2014. He stepped down in 2019 after completing his second term.
Aziz’s successor, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, was a former military comrade of Aziz. However, the two men fell out after Ghazouani took office.
Ghazouani has launched a crackdown on corruption, which has targeted several of Aziz’s allies.
The verdict has been met with mixed reactions. Aziz’s supporters have condemned it as a political witch hunt. His opponents say it is a sign of progress in the fight against corruption.
The verdict is likely to further deepen the political divide in Mauritania.