Following the indictment and the commitments of former Malian Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maïga, and former Minister of Economy and Finance Bouaré Fily Sissoko, reactions are mixed in Mali. There are those who encourage this transparency effort by the Supreme Court, and those who condemn procedural irregularities, for fear of an instrumentalisation.
Soumeylou Boubeye Maïga and Bouaré Fily Sissoko were caught by two cases from 2014: that for the purchase of the presidential plane of former President Ibrahim Boubakar Keïta, and that for agreements on military equipment. By combining the two, we are talking about more than 130 billion CFA francs.
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Reports from the Court of Auditors and the Auditor General, but also from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), had then pointed out congestion and many deviations. Since they were placed in prison, the reactions are mixed.
Sory Ibrahima Traoré is among those who welcome the ongoing activities. President of the Front for Emergence and Renewal in Mali (Fer-Mali), an association created in support of the transitional authorities, he “congratulates the Malian justice” and speaks of a “courageous act”, that the case is resumed. to the problem of the country’s military equipment.
Fer-Mali hopes that the process will end, that all the people involved in this file will listen, that the responsibility lies, that the funds plundered by the Malian people will be paid as well as possible.
Asked by RFI that some are concerned about the method used, “we do not share this opinion,” he says.
We believe in letting justice do its job. The Malian people are very thirsty for justice, today we have authorities who have taken their courage in both hands, who want to ensure justice and the rule of law, we strongly support them. If it happens that abuse occurs in the file, we will also be there to describe them.
This enthusiastic support is not shared by all observers. Brahima Konaté, Deputy Secretary-General of the Malian Human Rights Association (AMDH), remains vigilant in respecting the law.
We are vigilant. We note that the case is being resumed, but we ask the judicial authorities to do everything in their power to ensure that the rights of the defense are respected. It really should be fair justice for everyone. There are fears, but we believe that justice is sufficiently equipped to ensure that the fundamental rights of the various parties are respected.
Today in Mali, Brahima Konaté continues, “justice goes at two speeds, everything is linked to the issues of power relations at the moment”.
As soon as the former Prime Minister and the former Minister of Finance are no longer in business, if we open their file, there are fears. The rules for former ministers are prescribed in the Criminal Procedure Act. If it is not the rules that govern the process that have just begun, there are fears. It is the Court of Common Rights that is seized.
His association calls for the procedure to be followed “carefully” to avoid “other problems that Mali may regret”.
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