Assumed coup in Madagascar: two French people sentenced to forced labor sentences

Paul Rafanoharana and the former colonel of the French army Philippe François were sentenced to forced labor sentences, respectively twenty-ten years. They were accused of fomenting a coup against President Rajoelina.

Le Monde with AFP

In Madagascar, justice sentenced two French, Friday, December 17, for fomenting a coup against the President, Andry Rajoelina, along with twenty others defendants. The Franco-Malagasy Paul Rafanoharana and the former Colonel of the French Army Philippe François were sentenced to forced labor sentences, respectively twenty-ten years.

In addition, the wife of Paul Rafanoharana, Voahangy Rafanoharana, was sentenced to five years of forced labor, and the former Prime Minister, Victor Ramahatra, five-year suspended prison. “We will provide us with cassation, immediately reacted Solo Radson, lawyer of Mr. Rafanoharana. That’s not what I expected, it is an unfair verdict, the file is empty, it is a political trial. “Lawyers have three working days to appeal in cassation.

Project called” Apollo 21 “

According to the Advocate General, Arsène Rabe, the defendants belonged to “a criminal organization” seeking to “commit an attack against President Rajoelina”, and contributed to setting up the project called “Apollo 21”, thanks to emails, weapons and money, seized “during searches. Wednesday, Malagasy Justice had required life imprisonment.

The Defense has attempted to prove that the links between the accused were not firmly established and that the presumption of innocence had not been respected, because of many leaks in the press on this case. .

The accused in this case were pursued to infringe the state security, a criminal and conspiracy association to murder the president. Since their arrest, at the end of July, some accused had been placed under judicial control, others, including the two French, had been imprisoned.

/Media reports.