Mauritania’s Supreme Court upheld Tuesday a decision by the Court of Appeal to refer former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and 10 others to the Corruption Court.
The decision by the Court’s Criminal Chamber put an end to the various appeals submitted by the defendants' attorneys, DPA reported.
The court also acquitted a businessman and lifted the seizure of the properties of some of the defendants.
The list of charges against Abdel Aziz and some of the senior officials in his regime includes corruption, money laundering, illicit enrichment and abuse of influence, all of which the former president considers “fabricated and political” accusations.
Abdel Aziz, 65, launched a military coup in 2008 and served two terms as president before being succeeded in August 2019 by a political ally, current president Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.