Africa
COTE d’Ivoire former first lady Simone Gbagbo was released from detention on Wednesday after being granted an amnesty for her part in a short civil war in 2011, according to a Reuters witness.
The wife of former President Laurent Gbagbo, whose refusal to accept electoral defeat triggered the war, walked out of Abidjan’s Ecole de Gendarmerie in which she had been detained since 2013.
NAN reports President Alassane Ouattara announced the granting of amnesty to 800 prisoners, including the former first lady of Cote d’Ivoire Simone Gbagbo on Monday.
In a message to the nation on the eve of the celebration of the 58th anniversary of the independence of Côte d’Ivoire, Ouattara reaffirmed his willingness to hand over in 2020.
Also to be released are former defense minister Lida Kouassi, who was convicted of conspiracy and former minister of construction Assoa Adou.
Souleymane Kamaraté (“Soul to Soul”) also received amnesty.
The president said “about sixty soldiers and members of armed groups who have committed blood crimes” will remain in prison.(Reuters/NAN)
– Aug. 8, 2018 @ 15:05 GMT |
Tags: Cote d’Ivoire’s ex-first lady Simone Gbagbo leaves detention after amnesty
