The trial in the case of the assassination of President Thomas Sankara in 1987 and his twelve accomplices could begin next year. After several years, the investigating judge in charge of the case in the military court completed his work and issued an order in which the prosecutors and the prosecuted persons in the control chamber are displayed.
as reported from Ouagadougou, Yaya Boudani
At the Ouagadougou Military Court, the investigating judge was in charge The Thomas Sankara affair completed his work. He forwarded the file to the control room. This document contains the names of the accused and the charges against them. “It is no longer a matter of going back on facts, but only to see if the criminal proceedings have been respected from start to finish if the rights of the defense have been respected,” stresses Master Benewendé Stanislas Sankara, one of the family lawyers.
► Webdoc: Who had Thomas Sankara killed?
“Attacks on state security”, “murder”, “conspiracy”, “concealment of corpses”, “forgery in public writing” are among the charges against 25 people, including former President Blaise. Compaoré, General Gilbert Diendére or Hyacinthe Kafando. The trial could open next year, according to the lawyer: “I think we ourselves were hoping for 2020, but in the meantime with the French archives that have arrived, the procedure had to be restarted. I am confident that this file in 2021 will be rated. ”
“The process is underway, we can no longer go back”
This is news that satisfies the International Committee of Thomas Sankara Memorial, which on October 15 delivered a message to the military court after a march. “Whoever is the president who is elected, he knows that the process is underway, we can no longer return,” welcomes Luc Damiba, the committee’s secretary general.
Lawyers for the Sankara family say they are paying special attention to the continuation of the case, which was sent to the control chamber of the military court in Ouagadougou.
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