Former Mauritanian President Sentenced in Landmark Corruption Case   

Former president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, was handed a 15-year prison sentence on Tuesday, May 14, 2025, following a retrial over corruption charges linked to his decade-long rule. The verdict marks a dramatic escalation from an initial five-year term imposed in December 2023, underscoring the gravity of financial crimes uncovered during investigations into his presidency. 

A Decade Under Scrutiny

Abdel Aziz, 67, came to power in a 2008 military coup before securing electoral victories in 2009 and 2014. His tenure, which ended in 2019 with a rare peaceful transition to successor Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, was marred by allegations of systemic corruption. Dubbed the “Decade of Corruption,” a sweeping probe revealed a web of embezzlement, money laundering, and abuse of authority, leading authorities to freeze over $100 million in assets tied to the ex-leader and his family. 

Once a key Western ally in countering Sahel-based Islamist militancy, Abdel Aziz faced trial in January 2023 alongside close associates in Mauritania’s longest-ever corruption case. Last December’s conviction, which also stripped him of civil rights, was appealed by both the state, which deemed the penalty too lenient, and the defense, which contested the court’s jurisdiction over a former head of state. 

A Precedent or Outlier? 

The appellate court’s stringent ruling, which included shuttering a charity linked to Abdel Aziz’s son and seizing its assets, resonates beyond Mauritania. Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index highlights sub-Saharan Africa’s struggle, with 90% of countries scoring below 50/100. Convictions of ex-leaders remain rare: only Zambia’s Frederick Chiluba (later acquitted in 2009) faced similar charges this century. While activists hail the ruling as a victory for accountability, skeptics note that many African leaders still wield influence over courts. For now, Abdel Aziz’s case stands as a historic exception; a 15-year sentence delivering a stark message: even former presidents are not above the law.