Five directors of Mauritanian primary banks were questioned on Sunday following the arrest of former Central Bank governor Sid'El Moctar Ould Nagi, local press reported.
Ould Nagi, who served as a minister under the regime of Maouiya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, was arrested on Thursday by the anti-economic crimes police unit.
He was accused of having been at the center of embezzlement of more than 40 million U. S. dollars from the bank cash box when he was the
governor.
The five bankers being questioned include Mohamed Ould Noueiguedh, president-director general of the National Bank of Mauritania; Mohamed Ould Bouamatou, president-director general of the Bank of Mauritania; Isselmou
Ould Tajedine, president-director general of the Industry and Commerce Bank; Ahmed Salem Ould Bouna Moctar, president-director general of the Habitat Bank; and Mohamed Ould El Hadj Sidi, the former director of the privately owned BACIM-BANK.
According to security sources, these men were questioned for suspected roles in transferring the money to the primary banks for the benefit of Ould Nagi.
Ould Nagi was arrested in a campaign to clean up the management of public affairs being carried out by the government of Ould Mohamed Laghdhaf, since the swearing-in in August of President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.