A court in Nouakchott has sentenced former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz to five years in prison for having abused his position to amass an ill-gotten fortune.

Aziz had been on trial since January 2023 alongside ten other prominent figures, including two former prime ministers, for illicit enrichment, abuse of functions, influence-peddling and laundering.

He was convicted of illicit enrichment, but cleared of the other charges.

The court also ordered the confiscation of Aziz's illicitly acquired assets.

Aziz, 66, did not react to the judgement. He has been in detention since January 24, having also spent several months in prison in 2021.

Aziz spent a decade in power between 2009 and 2019.

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