For the first time in their history, Mauritanians are currently following the chapters of the trial of a former president and symbols in his regime on charges of corruption, abuse of influence, illegal enrichment, money laundering and squandering of state property.
On January 25, former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, his daughter-in-law, symbols of his regime and some of his close associates appeared before the Economic Crimes Court in Nouakchott.
The court decided to refer the accused to prison.
This gave the impression that what is known as the "decimal file" had entered a serious phase, after the judiciary was satisfied with imposing judicial control on most of the defendants and later lifting it from them.
The former president and his supporters insist that the trials are politicized and aim to prevent them from exercising their political right weeks before the start of the legislative and local elections.
However, many rely on these trials to curtail corruption in Mauritania, and hope that they will lead to the people recovering huge amounts of money that the corrupt transferred to real estate and companies at home, and put them in bank accounts abroad.
According to a previous statement by the Public Prosecution, the authorities have so far managed to freeze 4 billion ouguiyas at home (more than $100 million), including 3 billion ouguiyas for the former president and his son-in-law.
These trials are gaining exceptional momentum, as they coincide with the dissatisfaction of large segments of citizens with what they call widespread corruption in the Mauritanian administration, which has exacerbated the living conditions of the population and forced thousands of young people to migrate annually.
A report issued by the US State Department last year said, "Corruption is a serious problem in the Mauritanian public administration, and the government rarely holds officials accountable or prosecuted for abuses."
The US report notes that "corruption is most prevalent in government procurement, but it was also common in the distribution of official documents, fishing and mining licenses, land distribution, as well as in bank loans and tax payments."
The following is a presentation about 11 people who were referred to prison by the judiciary on charges of illegal enrichment and squandering public money:
1- Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
Askari, born in 1956 in the city of Akjoujt in northern Mauritania.
Ould Abdel Aziz joined the Mauritanian army in 1977, and received training at the Military Academy in Meknes, Kingdom of Morocco.
For more than 20 years, the man was just an ordinary officer and was not surrounded by any momentum, and most Mauritanians did not know anything about him, but the situation changed in 2003, when he contributed to the failure of the coup of Major Saleh Ould Hanna against former President Muawiya Ould Sayed Ahmed Al-Taye.
At that time, he was promoted to the rank of colonel.
However, Ould Abdel Aziz was not satisfied with the technique of thwarting coups, but rather knew how to lead them successfully.
On the morning of August 3, 2005, he was the most prominent officer who overthrew Ould Taya.
And he repeated the ball in 2008, overthrowing the elected civilian president, Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, after he played a decisive role in bringing him to power.
From this moment on, Ould Abdel Aziz decided to take over the presidency himself rather than continuing with the task of protecting the presidents or overthrowing them.
Ould Abdel Aziz was elected president in 2009, re-elected in 2014, and left power in 2019.
Throughout his decade in power, he raised the slogan of fighting corruption, and said on more than one occasion that he had kept the corrupt away from decision-making centers.
However, the man is currently in prison and appeared on January 25 before the Economic Crimes Court, facing charges of squandering the state's real estate and monetary property, abuse of employment, concealment of criminal proceeds, abuse of influence, illegal wealth, obstruction of justice, and obtaining material benefits. Not due, money laundering.
A spokesman for the Mauritanian government confirmed that the authorities had taken all organizational and security measures to ensure a transparent trial, as he put it.
The parliamentary committee that conducted the investigation in 2020 into the files of Ashrya Ould Abdel Aziz said that it had found huge property of the president and those close to him, estimated at $100 million.
This is inside Mauritania, while abroad, there are reports of the former president's involvement in smuggling huge sums of money to Turkey, France, the UAE and other countries.
This is the first trial of a Mauritanian president on charges of corruption and money laundering.
For his part, the former Mauritanian president denies the accusations against him of corruption, describing them as misleading.
2- Yahya Ould Hadmain
Born in 1953 in the eastern basin, he studied mining mechanics engineering in Canada in the seventies, and held various positions in the mineral sector in Mauritania for 30 years.
In 2010, he held the position of Minister of Equipment and Transport, and he remained in the position until 2014, when he was chosen to be prime minister.
Ould Hadameen retained the premiership for 5 years, and was described as the most powerful man in Ould Abdel Aziz's regime.
The Public Prosecution charged him with participating in committing crimes of squandering state funds, granting unjustified privileges in the field of public transactions, illegal enrichment, abuse of office, and abuse of influence.
Ould Hadamene, who was recently imprisoned, told investigators that he had received orders to sell public school lands from former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, so he passed those instructions to his subordinates, and "accordingly, the sales began immediately."
The investigation team considered that this "proves his clear participation in the sales that were carried out, which led to the squandering of state property."
Ould Hademin also admitted that he participated in signing the "airport deal" agreement, which led to "the dissipation of the real estate property of the state." He also participated in the efforts of Ould Abdel Aziz's wife to obtain commercial stores in the New Capital Market without a legal basis, and he tried to pay the price of those stores. From the Special Fund of the Prime Ministry.
The investigation team also monitored the participation of Ould Hadmine in facilitating the procedures for establishing a private resort for the accused and former president, Mohamed Abdel Aziz, outside the capital, Nouakchott, and public funds were used in this resort.
Ould Hademine expressed his shock at being accused of "squandering the nation's bounty," saying that his salary for only 10 years was enough to justify his property.
3- Mohamed Salem Ould Al-Bashir
Born in 1962 in the state of Hodh El Gharbi (eastern Mauritania), he holds an engineer’s degree in electronic mechanics from the University of Technology in Connipeg, France.
He began his career in 1987, and held many important positions in the energy and mineral sector. In 2015, Ould Abdel Aziz appointed him as Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Minerals, and in 2016 he chose him to manage the National Company for Industry and Mines (SNIM).
At the end of October 2018, he assumed the premiership and remained in this position until the end of Ould Abdel Aziz's second presidential term in early August 2019.
After the current president, Muhammad Ould Al-Ghazwani, assumed power, Ould Al-Bashir was chosen to assume the position of Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic, but he did not occupy the position.
He was dismissed from office after his name was included in a list of personalities accused by a parliamentary committee of squandering state property and conspiring against the capabilities of the Mauritanian people.
Ould Al-Bashir is currently in prison, facing charges of participating in the commission of crimes of squandering state funds, granting unjustified privileges in the field of public deals, illegal enrichment, abuse of office, and abuse of influence.
The charges against him included misusing the funds of a national company, and using the delegated authority in a way that conflicts with the company's economic interests.
The judicial investigation team concluded that Ould Al-Bashir participated in "awarding public deals in the field of electricity outside the legal framework, and companies and people illegally benefited from them";
As a solar lighting deal with the Chinese company.
The investigators said that these illegal deals "constituted an illegal source of income for the accused, Mohamed Abdel Aziz, and the role of the accused, Mohamed Salem Ould Al-Bashir, in them proves his participation in the acts committed by the accused in this regard."
4- Muhammad Abdullah, born Wada
Born in 1967 in the city of Alaak (east of the capital, Nouakchott), he holds an engineer’s degree in the field of electromechanics from the School of Engineers in Mohammedia, Morocco.
He started his career at the National Company for Industry and Mines (SNIM) in 1991, and later held several positions in the fields of energy and minerals.
In 2008, he was chosen to hold the position of Minister of Industry and Minerals, and in 2011 he assumed the position of Director of the National Company for Industry and Mines, and in 2017 he was appointed Minister of Equipment and Transport.
Ould Wadaa was one of the strongest men of Ould Abdel Aziz, and he oversaw many political and partisan missions.
During his administration, "SNIM", it was reported that he had a strong connection with the president's family, and that he had enabled them to obtain money through illegal deals and privileges.
Ould Wada was at the forefront of the figures investigated by the Parliamentary Committee and referred his file to the judiciary.
Currently, the man is being held in prison and faces charges of participating in the commission of crimes of squandering state funds, granting unjustified privileges in the field of public procurement, illegal enrichment, abuse of office, and peddling of influence.
In his interview with the investigators, Ould Wadaa said that he carried out the instructions of the former main defendant, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, regarding his son-in-law's illegal subscription to the "Snim" company.
Ould Wadaa also confessed to the investigators that he paid sums of money from the funds of the "Snim" company when he was the general manager of the company for the benefit of the descendants of the former president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, unlawfully.
The report of the investigation team stated that the documents and papers proved the participation of Wadaa in breaches related to the awarding of several deals, including the Sneem Hotel deal, the deal to build the Specialty Hospital in Nouadhibou, and the drilling deals of numbers 10 and 11, the value of some of which amounted to about $4 million.
The investigation team quoted Weda’s son as his confession that the “Snim” company concluded - during his management period - a deal to buy fodder, which, through investigations, turned out to have led to the state losing an amount of 600 million ounces.
It was strange at that time that a metal company interfered in the purchase of animal feed.
According to the investigation, the son of a deposit tampered with the financial surpluses of the "Snim" company;
“Instead of investing the financial surplus resulting from the rise in iron prices in areas that develop the company’s work and increase its productivity and economic profitability, he granted a loan of 15 billion ounces to a private company during a period when the projects of this company were faltering due to its financial situation, which is not usually tempting to those who invoke interests.” His institution grants loans to those in such a situation.”
5- Student Ould Abdi Fal
Born in 1965 in Tintan (eastern Mauritania), he graduated from the National School of Geology in France, and his biography indicates that he was a university professor and geological researcher.
Ould Abdi Fall held many important positions in the energy and mineral sectors in Mauritania;
He took over the management of the Mauritanian Electricity and Water Company from 2008 to 2009.
From 2009 to 2011, he held the position of General Manager of the National Company for Industry and Mines "SNIM".
From 2011 to 2013 he held the position of Minister of Energy and Oil.
On January 25, Ould Abdi Fal appeared before the Economic Crimes Court and was transferred to prison after he was accused of participating in the commission of crimes of squandering state funds, granting unjustified privileges in the field of public deals, illegal enrichment, abuse of position, and abuse of influence. .
Investigation records - seen by Al-Jazeera Net - show that the student, Ould Abdi, signed contracts during his management of the "Snim" company, which allowed the use of public funds to build a private resort owned by the accused and former president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
In response to these accusations, Ould Abdi Fall decided to resign from all his positions and responsibilities, including teaching at the University of Nouakchott.
He said that the charges against him did not fit the typical image required for those who assume public responsibilities.
Ould Abdi Fall pledged to dedicate his time to defending himself before the judiciary, and he also published a list of his properties inside and outside Mauritania.
He believed that the charges of illicit enrichment, mismanagement and influence-peddling "constitute a real mystery to him."
6- Muhammad Salem Weld Ibrahim Fal, nicknamed Al-Markhi
A personal friend of former Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, and there were reports of his involvement in major corruption cases during his management of the National Electricity Company (SOMLEK) from 2015 to 2019.
And when Al-Jazeera Net asked him in 2019 about the credibility of the talk about buying a luxury home in Nouakchott for more than 50 million ouguiyas ($1.5 million), he replied, "You are despicable."
But he is currently in prison and faces charges of illicit enrichment, influence peddling and unjustified concessions in public procurement.
According to the investigation records, his accounts in internal banks include 30 million ouguiyas (one dollar equals 34 ouguiyas).
The records include an inventory of real estate, houses and cars owned by the man, the value of which exceeded about $4.5 million.
7- Mohamed Ould El-Daf
A former official in the era of President Ould Abdel Aziz, where he held the position of head of the free zone in Nouadhibou from 2014 to 2019, then he held the position of director of the National Hydrocarbons Company.
Ould Daf is currently facing charges of "squandering the state's real estate property, abusing influence, misusing his position, and taking benefits from auctions he oversaw."
The investigation records confirm that Ould Daf was involved in committing several crimes during the sale of the lands of the Nouadhibou Free Zone, and it was stated in these records that the accused Ould Daf exploited his influence and position to achieve personal material gains for himself and others.
8- Muhammad Ould Amsubou
A young businessman and son-in-law of former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
During the rule of President Ould Abdel Aziz, there were reports of his son-in-law's involvement in many corruption cases, as he took advantage of his closeness to the president to illegally obtain privileges and deals.
Weld Amsboua was at the forefront of the "Ashrya Aziz" men whom the parliamentary committee investigated and referred their files to the judiciary.
Currently, Ould Imboua is in the same prison as Ould Abdel Aziz.
The president's son-in-law faces numerous charges, including abuse of influence, illegal enrichment and waste of public property.
According to the investigation records, Masboua has bank accounts in France and Turkey.
Inside Mauritania, the son-in-law of the former president owns dozens of plots of land in expensive areas, many companies, factories, shops, homes and warehouses, and dozens of trucks, tanks, bulldozers, weightlifters and electric generators.
9- Muhammad Al-Amin Alkay
His name emerged in the corruption investigations, as investigators discovered that he was supervising public deals, and working to establish them with close associates of the former president.
The Public Prosecution accused the executed justice of squandering the state's real estate property, abusing influence, abusing the position, and taking benefits from auctions that he was supervising.
According to the investigation records, Ould Alkai admitted that he was getting 2% of the sale amount in cases where he supervised the sale alone.
10- Mohamed Ould Boubat
A businessman linked to suspicious deals in the era of Ould Abdel Aziz. The Public Prosecution accuses him of obstructing justice, concealing criminal proceeds, and contributing to covering up criminal proceeds.
A court order was issued to imprison him on January 25, and he was in Spain, but he returned later and surrendered to the authorities and was imprisoned.
11- Jacob Weld Al-Ateeq
Notary, interrogated by investigators about marketing and selling property to the ex-president's wife.