Former Mauritanian Leader Sentenced to 15 Years for Corruption

Mauritania's former leader, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges of corruption. This decision was reached after an appeal by both state prosecutors and Aziz's defense team to a Nouakchott court, contesting a previous sentence from 2023.

Aziz, who rose to power through a 2008 coup and governed for a decade, was a significant ally of Western nations combating Islamist militants in the Sahel. Despite denying the allegations, he was found guilty of economic crimes and abuse of power.

His initial five-year sentence was challenged by the state for being too lenient while his defense argued the trial should be under a high court's jurisdiction. Aziz's lawyer criticized the ruling, pointing to executive influence over the judiciary, while the state's attorney praised the outcome.

(With inputs from agencies.)