The imam of Belleville appeared at the correctional hearing of June 06, 2023 to respond to the facts of threats under conditions and incitement to hatred and violence. The prosecution requested 12 months in prison and a fine of 500,000 CFA francs, all with a suspended sentence.
This is following a dispute over land between the camp of the imam and the Catholic community. Said land is located in Belleville, sector 29 of Bobo-Dioulasso opposite the Institut Supérieur des Filières Professionnalisantes (ISFP). The competent authorities had already allocated the land to the Catholic community, because it holds the valid documents.
As for the imam, he does not have a document that certifies that the space belongs to them. It was following this decision that he made comments via a video on May 13, 2023 in which he openly makes threats against the Catholic community. In this 1mn32s video, we expect the religious leader to say clearly: ” If we lock up one of our faithful because of this plot business, we will break up all the Catholic churches in Belleville”.
The prosecutor believes that he incited in these remarks, his followers to hatred and violence towards this same community. It is on this basis that he prosecutes him for the offenses of conditional threats, and incitement to hatred and violence.
At the bar on June 06, 2023, the court first had the message of the video listened to by the public before moving on to the interrogation of the defendant. The accused admitted the facts with which he was charged and said he regretted having made such comments. And to the question of the judge to know what is the role of an imam? He responds with these words: “It is to pray people, for peace and to lead them on the right path”. “But why did you act like this? Do you want to raise a case similar to the Panzani case?”. “Non!”, responds the imam. Who, to exculpate himself explains: “I made these remarks under the effect of anger, otherwise I had no intention of doing any harm”.
In response to further questions from the judge, the accused further acknowledges that he and his community rather enjoy a simple document from the mayor authorizing them to pray on the land and not plot allocation documents. In the continuation of the judge’s interrogation, we will then learn that the imam studied in Jordan and says he is ready, in the event of his freedom, to admit his wrong in front of his faithful and the Catholic community. “I will continue to show them the right path”, promised the servant of God at the helm.
For its part, the prosecution says it is uncomfortable to see an imam at the helm, when he is supposed to unite and educate populations in the direction of peace and social cohesion.”Our country is currently fragile so we don’t need these kinds of scenes”, recall the floor. And the prosecutor hopes that this trial will be a textbook case for troublemakers. “We want that after this affair, the imam here present is a supporter of peace and social cohesion”, he pointed out.
At the end of the proceedings, the prosecution demanded against the accused the prison sentence of 12 months and a fine of 500,000 CFA francs, all suspended. After the pleadings of his lawyer, the court put the file under advisement for June 27, 2023. This means that the imam will be determined on his fate on this date. In the meantime, he is staying at the Bobo Remand and Correctional Center (MACB).
Ben Alassane DAO
