According to his family, “a potentially serious infection was detected on the ex-minister last week”.

Mali's supreme court this week rejected Mr Maïga’s lawyers' request for his provisional release.

The lawyers had cited health reasons and his conditions of detention to justify their request for his provisional release.

Mr Maïga was arrested at the end of August over a case involving the purchase of military equipment and an aircraft of former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

No date has been set for his trial.