Politics

Presidential hopeful Lotfi Mraihi detained by Tunisian police

Published

6 months ago

July 6, 2024

Lotfi Mraihi, the leader of an opposition group in Tunisia who declared his intention to compete in the October presidential election, has been detained by police on charges of money laundering.

One of President Kais Saied’s most vocal opponents, Mraihi, who is also the head of the Republican Union Party, was taken into custody late on Friday, according to officials and the local media.

Earlier this week, a spokeswoman for the Tunisian court announced that Mraihi was being charged with money laundering and creating bank accounts overseas without obtaining a central bank licence.

Mraihi’s arrest coincides with accusations from opposition parties, many of whose leaders are behind bars, that Saied’s administration is pressuring the courts to find Saied’s opponents in the 2024 elections and clear the path for him to win a second term.

Saied, who was elected president in 2019, is anticipated to run for reelection on October 6th, however, he has not yet formally declared his candidacy. He declared last year that he would not cede authority to anyone he deemed to be an outsider.

Prominent candidate and Free Constitutional Party leader Abir Moussi has been imprisoned since the end of the previous year on allegations that he compromised public safety.

According to Moussi’s party, her imprisonment was done to keep her out of the election and prevent a formidable opponent. The authorities refute this.

Safi Saeed, Nizar Chaari, and Abd Ellatif Mekki are among the other candidates being prosecuted for alleged offences like money laundering and fraud. Prosecution is also pending against Mondher Znaidi, a well-known prospective contender residing in France, on charges of financial corruption.

Notable opponents of the president have been detained since last year on accusations of plotting against state security, in a crackdown that has included businessmen, media figures, and politicians. The opposition claims that unless imprisoned politicians are released and the media is free to operate without interference from the government, no fair or credible elections can be place.

Saied claimed his actions were legal and necessary to end years of widespread corruption among the political elite. In 2021, he dissolved parliament, seized almost all powers, and began ruling by decree.

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

6 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

7 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.