A former President of Mauritania has been charged with corruption, money laundering and unexplained wealth.

Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz who held office from 2008 to 2019 spent Tuesday night and Wednesday in custody at the national security headquarters where he was interrogated for the corruption case.

Prosecutors have asked for Mr Ould Abdelaziz to be placed under court supervision until further investigations are completed and a court hearing is decided, local media report.

Former officials who served under Mr Ould Abdelaziz were also charged with various offences in the same case.

The former president denies any wrongdoing and says the accusations against him are "politically motivated".

He had refused to sign the minutes of his interrogation by the anti-corruption officers.

It all started when a parliamentary commission investigating mismanagement of state funds during Mr. Ould Abdelaiz's time in office submitted its report to the Ministry of Justice.

Mr Ould Abdelaziz has refused to answer questions so far, and says that as a former president the constitution grants him immunity from prosecution.