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The former prime minister of Mali has officially been charged with embezzlement after an investigation led by the country’s military junta.

Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, Mali has been under military rule since August 2020, when then-Colonel Assimi Goïta led a coup that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta following protests over government corruption, the economy, and a failure to curb a growing jihadist insurgency in the north. Goïta, who was head of Mali’s special forces, initially enjoyed significant public and military support, with many Malians seeing the coup as a necessary reset to address security and governance failures. However, internal disputes within the transitional government led to a second coup in May 2021, when Goïta removed interim leaders and declared himself president. His support has since declined, with many (including in the military) dissatisfied with the same issues as before the coup.

Getting into it: In an announcement, Malian authorities accused former Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga of embezzling several billion CFA francs (amounting to millions of US dollars) during his tenure in office. The charges, revealed following a Supreme Court hearing, include embezzlement of public funds, money laundering, forgery, and the use of false documents. Officials allege that Maiga engaged in fraudulent financial practices that caused significant losses to the state, although specific evidence and details of the misused funds have not been made public.

As part of the wider investigation, eight of Maiga’s former associates were also detained, with some facing similar charges while others await further hearings. According to Maiga’s lawyer, Cheick Oumar Konare, the former prime minister is calm and maintaining confidence in the judicial process. Konare has also said that the defense believes the accusations are politically charged and part of a larger campaign to discredit Maiga following his public criticisms of the ruling military government.

The charges were filed just days after the military junta carried out a series of arrests to suppress a coup plot within the armed forces. Some have questioned whether the junta is targeting influential figures who challenge its authority, using corruption allegations as a pretext to take down opposition.