- No provisional freedom for the defendants
- Souleymane Belem, did not appear
Incitement to the degradation of property, endangering the lives of others and incitement to the dissemination of false information. These are the charges against the 10 defendants in this case, of which the Mogho naaba palace was the target.
Appeared on June 7, 2023, journalist Lookman SAWADOGO, host Alain TRAORE aka Alain Alain and eight (08) civil society actors who are Marcel TANKOANO, Abdoul Karim BAGUIAN aka Lota, Désiré GUINKO, Pascal ZAIDA, Boukare CONOMBO, Boukare TAPSOBA, Oumar SAWADOGO. The 10th defendant who appeared free, Souleymane BELEM, was absent from the courtroom.
This was the first reason for the dismissal requested by the prosecution to allow the manifestation of the truth
His arguments from the prosecution were undermined by the lawyers for the defendants who criticized the latter for not having taken all the measures to ensure the appearance of the defendant Souleymane BELEM and that as a result, their client did not have to suffer the consequences of his absence. The file was finally retained by the presiding judge who, throughout the morning, gradually emptied the files on the roll for the day’s hearing. The public who came specially to follow this affair; was waiting for him at the end of the role
But, a twist after the resumption of the midday. The court, which was ruling on a case of motorcycle thieves, decided to adjourn the other cases on the grounds that it could not examine them all, given the time.
Anger in the ranks of the defendants’ lawyers who oppose a dismissal of the case. The prosecutor is of the opinion. This is how the defendants’ lawyers then ask for provisional release for their clients by vouching for their appearance or at the very least, a hearing as soon as possible. Finally the president of the court will accede neither to one nor to the other of the requests. He postpones the trial of the 10 defendants for June 21 as well as the appearance of Souleymane BELEM
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