Ex-Malian prime minister dies in Bamako hospital

Soumeylou Maiga died in hospital whereas on parole over corruption fees.

Former Malian Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga addresses the press throughout a convention in Mopti on October 13, 2018 whereas he was in workplace [File: Michele Cattani/AFP]

Mali’s former Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, arrested over corruption allegations final 12 months, has died of an undisclosed sickness in hospital.

One in every of his legal professionals informed the Reuters information company that the 68-year-old died at a clinic within the capital, Bamako, on Monday morning.

Maiga was arrested in August over his suspected position within the buy of a presidential aircraft in the course of the rule of then-President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, overthrown in a army coup a 12 months earlier.

He was charged with a number of counts of corruption and was awaiting trial. Legal professionals maintained their shopper was harmless.

He died within the hospital the place he had been saved on parole since December.

His household and docs had unsuccessfully pushed for Maiga to be allowed to journey overseas for remedy as his well being deteriorated in Bamako’s foremost jail.

Kin stated authorities didn't reply to their evacuation requests. There was no speedy response from two authorities spokespeople whom Reuters sought remark from.

The federal government issued a press release in a while Monday saying that Maiga died after a “lengthy sickness” and presenting condolences to the household.

Maiga, a former defence minister, was named prime minister in 2017. He resigned two years later, 4 weeks after a bloodbath of some 160 Fulani herders by an ethnic vigilante group.