The verdict which was delivered on Monday by the country's top court clears the way for Keita to begin his second five-year term on September 4 after he was declared the winner of Mali's presidential election on August 16.

It will be noted that the runner up winner in the election had contested the results of the August 12 vote when he filed a fraud complaint to the constitutional court seeking nullification of Keita's victory. He said "I reject the results proclaimed by the Ministry of Territorial Administration that do not reflect the vote of Malians,".

Keita, who is widely known as IBK, got 67.2 percent of the votes, comfortably beating Cisse, who received 32.8 percent, according to electoral officials. Over 2.7 million Malians voted in the runoff election, a 34 percent turnout despite threats by armed groups. Cisse said he would have won 51 percent of the vote but for ballot box stuffing and other cheating by Keita's camp. But Keita rejected the allegations.

Though the European Union observers said there were irregularities during the vote but did not say there was fraud.

With this court verdict, President Keita will be sworn in on September 4, 2018 and continue his second term as the president of the country.