Mauritania’s former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has come forward to prove his innocence over suspected embezzlement, reported Africa News.
The Mauritanian parliament had formed a committee earlier this year to launch an investigation into the rule of Aziz, who came to power after staging a military coup in 2008. He was held earlier this month on charges of corruption put forward by a parliamentary committee that has scrutinized his time in power. Three former ministers and ex-premier Ismail Ould Bedda Ould Cheikh Sidiya were also named in the report.
The committee is investigating activities related to the handling of oil revenue funds, the sale of state property, and shady infrastructure deals among others.
The police had released Aziz early on Monday after questioning him for a week when he was placed under surveillance by the Economic Crimes Police, his passport withdrawn and prevented from leaving the capital.
The former president said the procedure is illegal and said it is aimed at damaging his image as former president.
“No charges are brought against me. I spent seven days in arbitrary and unjust detention while I voluntarily came in my car to the safety of the State,” the former Mauritania president said.
The 63-year-old came to power in 2008 and served two terms as Mauritania’s president. He was succeeded by his right-hand man and defense minister in August 2019.
He is suspected of “maladministration and embezzlement of public assets.”
Aziz initially resisted cooperation with investigators and refused to answer questions. However, he later agreed to cooperate after being pressured by the investigators.
The Mauritania MPs passed a law to empower a High Court of Justice to try presidents and ministers in cases of “high treason” after Aziz failed to answer a call to testify before the commission of inquiry in July.
Since August last year, Mauritania has been ruled by President Mohamed Ould Al-Ghazwani, who won the presidential elections on June 22, 2019,
