Mali’s former prime minister, Choguel Maiga, has been charged with embezzlement and is currently in custody. This recent action comes as the West African country’s military intensifies its efforts to curb alleged coup plotters.
Tuesday’s hearing before Mali’s Supreme Court revealed the charges against Maiga. Maiga, who assumed office following a coup in Mali in 2021, was dismissed in November 2024 after he criticized the military for their lack of transparency regarding the transfer of power to a civilian government. According to Maiga’s lawyer, Cheick Oumar Konare, there is as yet no trial date set for the former leader.
The charges against Maiga include money laundering involving billions of CFA francs, equivalent to several million U.S. dollars. Maiga was arrested last week, shortly after Mali’s military leaders conducted several dozen arrests to suppress an alleged plot within the military ranks to overthrow the government.
In addition to Maiga, nine of his former colleagues appeared before the court on Tuesday. Some were charged, some were acquitted, and others’ hearings are still pending.
Last month, another former prime minister, Moussa Mara, was imprisoned for tweeting in support of jailed critics of the military. This is not the only incident; Mali has faced a severe security crisis since 2012, stemming from violence by groups associated with al-Qaeda and ISIL, as well as criminal gangs. These conflicts have resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced up to 350,000 individuals.
The 2020 protests propelled the military to power after they ousted the elected government. The transitional government briefly ruled before another military coup in 2021. Colonel Assimi Goita, the leader of the coups, was sworn in as transitional president. His government has failed to honor pledges of returning power to civilians and has tightened control by dissolving political parties and imprisoning dissidents.
Maiga was initially a leader in the protests that toppled the Malian government in 2020. However, after his dismissal, he has become one of the military’s staunchest critics. According to Alioune Tine, former U.N. rapporteur on Mali to the Security Council, Maiga’s arrest demonstrates the weakness of the military government.
Replacing Maiga as prime minister is General Abdoulaye Maiga, former government spokesman. The power grab in Mali has sparked a series of coups in the Sahel region, including in neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. These countries withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States and established the Alliance of Sahel States, forming a joint military force to combat linked groups to al-Qaeda and ISIL.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/20/malis-choguel-maiga-charged-with-embezzlement-remanded-in-custody?traffic_source=rss
