Mauritania’s Supreme Court has upheld a 15-year prison sentence against former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, confirming his conviction for illicit enrichment and influence peddling and bringing a dramatic close to one of the most high-profile corruption cases in the country’s history.
The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, November 4, marks the final chapter of a years-long legal battle and cements the political downfall of a leader who once dominated Mauritanian politics.
Abdel Aziz, now 69, led the nation from 2008, after seizing power in a military coup, until stepping down in 2019.
Initially handed a five-year prison term in December 2023, Abdel Aziz saw his sentence increased to fifteen years by an appeals court in May 2025, which concluded that he had exploited his office to accumulate vast personal wealth. His legal team challenged the verdict before the Supreme Court, which dismissed the appeal and upheld the harsher sentence.
Abdel Aziz’s conviction places him among a small group of former African leaders who have faced significant legal consequences for corruption.
While prosecutions of ex-presidents in Africa typically center on political repression or wartime atrocities, cases involving financial crimes at this level remain rare.
