Mauritania: Opposition party wants Central Bank of Mauritania audited
Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) - Mauritanian Opposition Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD) has called for an audit of the Central Bank of Mauritania, following alleged "embezzlement of large sums of foreign currency and the use of counterfeit banknotes".
According to an official statement, sent to PANA on Thursday, the RFD alleged that the funds embezzled amounted to between US$ 1 million and US$ 2.4 million, whose discovery was announced on Friday evening by the local press.
It said that several individuals have been arrested and taken into custody as part of a preliminary investigation into the case.
"This would be a large-scale operation in which several people inside and outside the institution would be involved," the RFD said.
While investigations are being carried out into this operation, there have been reports of theft of documents and computer equipment from the Directorate-General for the Budget (DGB) and the Supreme Court.
At the same time, a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CEP) has summoned former President Mohamed ould Abdel Aziz (2008-2019) for a hearing.
The RFD indicate that there is a bill at the High Court of Justice (HCJ), allegedly by someone perceived with the intention of covering up the case and sabotaging efforts undertaken to shed light on certain aspects of the case.
According to the Mauritanian constitution, the High Court of Justice (HCJ) has the sole jurisdiction to investigate the president of the Republic, who can only be prosecuted for "crime of high treason".
In the light of all these, "the RFD wonders whether the developments linked to the present case do not constitute the continuation of a vast currency forgery operation, known as the GHANAGATE scandal, in connection with the Accra and money laundering records, in which the former president (Abdel Aziz) is allegedly implicated.
The RFD calls for "an urgent audit of the operations of the Central Bank" and "demands that all those involved in the case be punished in an exemplary manner".
-0- PANA SAS/JSG/SOC/MTA/VAO 9July2020
