The trial of former Cote D’Ivoire President, Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé, a former youth minister and a pro-Gbagbo militia leader, would begin on Jan. 28 at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
An official said on Wednesday in Yamoussoukro that Gbagbo would be the most senior politician to be tried since the global war crimes tribunal was set up 13 years ago.
The official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that Gbagbo, 70, and his co-accused, youth leader Charles Ble-Goude, 44, are facing four counts; including rape and murder aimed at hanging onto power.
He said both men denied the charges, which carry maximum sentences of life imprisonment.
The official said Gbagbo accused of unleashing a civil war that killed 3,000 people after he refused to accept losing a re-election bid in 2010, remained an influential figure at home and his trial could rekindle tensions in the country.
He noted that this was also a test for the ICC, seen in much of Africa as a neo-colonial institution that does the bidding of its European financial backers.
“Its last attempt to try an African president, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, failed amid diplomatic lobbying and allegations of witness intimidation.
Meanwhile, Gbagbo’s supporters said he was a victim of collusion between France and current Cote d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara, who won the election and took office after a military intervention by the former colonial power, ended the four-month civil war.
They alleged that Ouattara, who was re-elected last year, was using the ICC to silence members of the opposition.
Gbagbo and Ble Goude known as the general of the streets were handed over the to The Hague after the ICC issued arrest warrants.
A lawyer representing victims of the violence, Habiba Toure, said the ICC risked “losing credibility” as it had failed to pursue anyone from the other side of the conflict.
He said that no member of the pro-Ouattara forces suspected of grave crimes against humanity has so far been prosecuted. (Reuters/NAN)
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