Ex-Mauritanian leader summoned by police for hearing

Former Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz showed up Monday before the police for hearing as part of investigations into corruption and public funds embezzlement allegations leveled against him and his entourage during his 11 years at the head of the North African country, Le360.ma reports.

The Mauritanian police in charge of economic affairs showed up in the morning at the residence of the former leader in capital Nouakchott to summon him for questioning at the police headquarters but the country’s former strong man refused to be escorted and promised to head to the venue himself.

Abdelaziz actually turned up in the afternoon in the offices of the national security directorate (DGSN) as requested, the online media notes.

The former leader as well as several senior officials, including three ex-Prime Ministers, are being investigated in connection with a six-month probe launched by a parliamentary committee into the country’s management over the past 10 years.

Abdelaziz rose to power in 2008 following a coup d’état but managed to be elected in 2009 for a five-year mandate before being re-elected in 2014. He left power last year in August for his former top aide and defense minister Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouni who was elected in June last year in highly heated elections.

The parliamentary committee has documented 109 projects worth $1.14 billion, which were awarded fraudulently to bidders. A sizeable amount of resources, 89 per cent of the projects values, have vanished and pocketed by officials including ministers and individuals around the former President.

Abdelaziz, if found guilty, could face treason charges. He initially refused to be heard by the investigation committee.