20100105

NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) - Three Mauritanian businessmen detained last month on charges of embezzling millions of euros of public funds were released on Tuesday after agreeing to repay the disputed money, a defence lawyer said.

National Bank of Mauritania director Mohamed Ould Noueiguedh, Islamic Bank of Mauritania owner Chrif Ould Abdalahi and entrepreneur Abdou Maham had been accused of embezzling the money from the country's central bank in 2001 and 2002.

The men, who have links to the Smassid tribe of former ruler Maaouiya Ould Sid Ahmed Taya, agreed to repay the money after six hours of negotiations in the central bank without legal representation, the defence lawyer said.

"This proves that it's not a judicial question, but a political one ... where negotiating is done in the shadows," said Maitre Ebetty, part of the group's defence team.

Mohammed Ould Maouloud of the opposition UPF party earlier said of the case that President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz "wants to manage the fight against corruption all by himself to be able to use it against his opponents".

Neither the three men nor representatives of the central bank and prosecuting authorities were immediately available for comment.

Former presidential guardsman Abdel Aziz overthrew the Islamic country's first democratically elected leader in an August 2008 bloodless coup he justified in part by accusing the former regime of corruption.

He was later voted in as head of state in July polls which his opponents disputed but which have marked the start of Mauritania's reacceptance into the international community after aid was suspended in reaction to the military takeover.