Former Mauritanian president questioned by police for second day

Ex-Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz slept overnight at national police headquarters in Nouakchott on Monday, and was being questioned by police for a second day on Tuesday, seemingly with regard to allegations of embezzlement during his tenure in office.

File photo of former Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. AFP/SEYLLOU

Aziz "slept at the DGSN, where he still is, without the presence of his lawyer,” Taghioullah Aida, one of his lawyers told AFP newswire, adding that questioning is still underway.

The former president went to the headquarters of the General Directorate for National Security (DSGN) on Monday. Police had come to his home to ask him to comply with the corruption probe.

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A parliamentary report came out earlier this month, investigating alleged economic malfeasance by the president. Aziz had refused to cooperate before going into the DSGN offices Monday.

The report looked into oil revenue kickbacks, selling state property in the capital, selling a food company and awarding fishing contracts to a Chinese fisheries company.

Although President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani was formerly Aziz’s top associate, the current president has stayed away from his former boss.