The Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Intermediate Court of Arlit denied, on Monday, comments relayed on social networks after the attack on a convoy of gold miners on the Tchibarakaten – Arlit axis where 5 soldiers were killed and 5 others injured . The author of these remarks – denouncing the alleged releases of traffickers and armed bandits – is wanted, said the prosecution.
After the attack on a convoy of gold miners on Sunday, an audio, making case of the alleged releases of traffickers and armed bandits, was widely shared on the WhatsApp messaging platform. Its author, claiming to have witnesses, affirms that these criminals would be released 3 days after they are transferred to Arlit or Iférouane, because they would pay sums of money. According to him, these are the same people – citing foreign nationalities – who would return to sow terror once released by the authorities. What the Arlit prosecutor’s office describes as “misleading statements likely to disturb public order and above all to undermine the honor of an institution of the Republic”.
“We would like to formally deny these comments, the primary design of which aims to shift responsibilities,” said the prosecution in a press release signed by the public prosecutor.
“(…) since our entry into service, no case of release of these supposed bandits has been recorded in Arlit, neither at the level of justice, nor at the level of the investigation units”, he assured, adding that “on this subject, the administrative and customary authorities can testify to it”.
The same press release indicates that “the author of this audio is currently wanted to answer for his act, and this, in accordance with the law on cybercrime which provides for and punishes such acts”.
The public prosecutor also underlines that “these grotesque messages come at a crucial moment, when we are witnessing perfect collaboration between the administrative and judicial authorities and the Defense and Security Forces through the departmental security council in the framework of the overall security of the city of Arlit »
As a reminder, the dissemination of data likely to disturb public order is punishable by a prison sentence of six (6) months to three (3) years and one million (1,000,000) to five million ( fine of 5,000,000) CFA francs, according to the provisions of the law on cybercrime, adopted in 2019.
Ahmadou Atafa