Ivorian soldiers are suspected by Bamako to be “mercenaries” and were found guilty in particular of “attack and conspiracy against the government”. Côte d’Ivoire ensures that these soldiers were on a mission for the United Nations.
MO12345lemonde with AFP
The forty-six Ivorian military suspected of being “mercenaries” and detained in Mali since July were sentenced on Friday December 30 to twenty years in criminal imprisonment for “attack and conspiracy against the government”, as well as “” Affairs to the external security of the State, “said Prosecutor General Ladji Sara in a statement. An ultimatum had been set at 1 er January by the heads of West African state to the Malian junta to release the forty-six soldiers imprisoned.
The three Ivorian soldiers released in early September by Bamako were condemned to the death penalty in absentia following the trial held Thursday and Friday in Bamako.
This trial, which took place in camera before the Bamako Court of Appeal, took place a week after a visit to an official Ivorian delegation in a “fraternal” spirit, which ended with the signature of a memorandum. The content of the discussions concerning the Ivorian soldiers had not been made public, but the Minister of Foreign Affairs Malian, Abdoulaye Diop, spoke before the press of an “unhappy incident”, while the Minister of Ivorian defense mentioned A “misunderstanding”.
The agreement reached between Mali and Côte d’Ivoire last week leaves the possibility of a presidential grace of the head of the Malian junta, Assimi Goïta, who must be expressed on Saturday on the occasion of his wishes to the nation. Abidjan assures that these soldiers were on mission for the UN, in the context of logistical support operations at MINUSMA, the United Nations Mission in Mali, and requires their release.