AKIPRESS.COM - Africa's only female head of state, Mauritian President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, has resigned and will leave office on Friday, her lawyer says.

Ms Gurib-Fakim has been engulfed by an expenses scandal. She denied any misconduct amid claims that she made large personal purchases on a charity bank card, BBC reported.

But on Saturday, just days after she rejected any idea of resigning, her lawyer Yusuf Mohamed told local media she would be stepping down.

The president has issued no statement.

The country's prime minister had originally said she would stand down last Monday.

When Ms Gurib-Fakim failed to do so, this led to fears of a constitutional crisis on the Indian Ocean island nation.