Graft cases against ex-President paused

Madagascar’s Anti-Corruption Unit (PAC) said it had received complaints targeting several former officials, including ex-President Andry Rajoelina, reports africanews. The proceedings have been temporarily suspended as it first has to be determined whether the court has jurisdiction to hear the cases. The PAC announced that judicial proceedings relating to complaints filed by the Directorate of Legislation and Litigation had been temporarily suspended. The suspension will remain in place pending a decision by the High Constitutional Court. Rajoelina and Christian Ntsay, former Prime Minister, are among those named in some of the cases. The first complaint concerns the alleged misappropriation of 36kg of gold from the Ministry of Mines and Strategic Resources. The second complaint concerns suspected financial misconduct and the alleged misappropriation of public funds in the awarding of contracts to supply school desks and benches to schools. Rajoelina, Ntsay and Mari Sahondrarimalala, a former Education Minister, are named in the case. In a separate case, Sahondrarimalala was sentenced on 30 September to five years in prison for undermining state security. The PAC also referred to other cases involving suspected forgery and the use of forged documents, as well as money laundering, relating to the Ministry of National Education. The third complaint concerns the management of the sovereign wealth fund. The PAC has referred the matter to the HCC, asking it to rule on the unit’s jurisdiction to examine the cases in light of the status of the individuals concerned.