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The 46 Ivorian soldiers, detained in Bamako and whom Mali accuses of being mercenaries, while Abidjan claims that they were on a mission for the United Nations (UN), were sentenced this Friday, December 30 to 20 years in prison . The three soldiers released in September received the death penalty in absentia.
The Bamako Assize Court delivered its decision on Friday, December 30, in the case of 46 Ivorian soldiers detained in Mali since July 10. The press release, signed by Attorney General Ladji Sara, was published in the evening, reports our regional correspondent, Serge Daniel.
At the end of two days of hearing, the Malian justice sentenced each to a sentence of 20 years of criminal imprisonment and two million fine for “attack and conspiracy once morest the government”, “undermining the external security of the ‘State’, ‘possession, carrying and transport of weapons and ammunition for war or defense (…) with the aim of disturbing public order and through intimidation or terror’. The weapons were confiscated.
In a second judgment, the court also condemned, in absentia, the three Ivorian soldiers released in September to the death penalty, as well as a fine of 10 million euros.
Presidential pardon still possible
This heavy verdict does not, however, contradict, according to observers, the agreement signed on December 22 by Bamako and Abidjan, because the possibility of a presidential pardon still exists. Assimi Goïta, the head of the Malian junta, must speak on Saturday, December 31, on the occasion of his wishes to the Nation.
Supported by several countries and institutions, Côte d’Ivoire has always rejected the accusations once morest its soldiers, explaining that they were in the country, in support of the German blue helmets of Minusma, the United Nations Mission in Mali.
The West African heads of state had set an ultimatum for Malian power to release the 46 soldiers before January 1, 2023.
