Sawt Falasteen - Former Mali PM Choguel Kokalla Maiga charged with embezzlement, imprisoned

Plagued by jihadist and separatist violence, Mali has been led by the military since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021.

Maiga is accused of "embezzlement of public funds" his lawyer Cheick Oumar Konare told AFP, adding that no date has yet been set for his trial.

"We believe in justice, we are calm while awaiting the trial," Konare said, explaining that Maiga would remain in prison.

Eight of his former colleagues from his time as prime minister had also been placed in custody, although his former chief of staff has been released while awaiting trial.

Confirming the charge of embezzlement, another judicial source told AFP that Maiga was specifically accused of "damage to public property, forgery, use of false documents".

Maiga was arrested one week ago, days after the junta carried out dozens of arrests to quash an alleged plot within the army's ranks to topple the government in turn.

"Choguel Maiga says he is calm and believes that a politician should expect anything, including prison and death," his lawyer Konare said in a statement.

- Ramped up repression -

His sacking in November 2024 appeared at the time to confirm that the army, which went back on a pledge to hand the reins back to civilians by the end of March 2024, had tightened its grip on power.

Having been named to the post following the second coup in 2021, Maiga was fired after he publicly condemned the lack of clarity over when the military would give up power in the West African country.

Mali's junta replaced the civilian prime minister with General Abdoulaye Maiga, who had previously served as government spokesman in the West African country.

Impoverished Mali has been gripped by a security crisis since 2012, fuelled notably by violence from groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State jihadist group, as well as local criminal gangs.

The junta, led by President Assimi Goita, has turned away from Western partners, notably former colonial power France, to align itself politically and militarily with Russia.

The regular army and its Russian allies are frequently accused of committing atrocities against civilians, with the junta ramping up repression of its critics in the face of widespread jihadist unrest.

In July, a bill passed by the military-appointed legislative body granted Goita a five-year presidential mandate, renewable "as many times as necessary" and without elections.

E.Aziz--SF-PST