Mauritania’s former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has lost his final appeal against a 15-year prison sentence for corruption, marking the end of a years-long legal battle over allegations of illicit enrichment during his decade in power.
Abdel Aziz, who ruled the country from 2009 to 2019 after seizing power in a 2008 military coup, was first sentenced in 2023 to five years in prison for amassing an estimated $70 million in assets through unlawful means. A court later increased his sentence by 10 years after rejecting his first appeal in May 2025.
His legal team has repeatedly argued that the proceedings were politically motivated, claiming he was being punished for his falling out with the current leadership. Mauritanian authorities, however, insist the conviction demonstrates the country’s commitment to tackling corruption at the highest levels.
Abdel Aziz was charged in 2021 with illicit enrichment, abuse of office, influence-peddling, and money laundering, alongside 10 other senior officials, including two former prime ministers.
Since his conviction, the former leader has been stripped of his assets and civic rights, effectively ending any prospect of a political comeback.
Observers say the case marks a rare instance in West Africa of a former head of state being held accountable for corruption through domestic legal institutions.
