News
Ivory Coast charges former president
Laurent Gbagbo and his wife charged with crimes ranging from armed robbery to looting.
Former Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) President Laurent Gbagbo (pictured), and his wife Simone, detained since he was ousted from power in April, have been charged with “economic crimes, armed robbery, looting and embezzlement”, the public prosecutor has said.
Simplice Kouadio Koffi said Gbagbo was charged on Thursday and his wife on Tuesday. Both have been moved from house arrest in the north of the country to jail.
Gbagbo’s spokesman called the move “illegal”.
President Alassane Ouattara‘s government has been moving against many members of the former administration since prevailing in a civil war which followed disputed presidential elections.
Gbagbo’s supporters are accused of using violence against civilians seen as pro-Ouattara during and after the disputed November poll and of looting the treasury to remain in power.
“The pre-trial judge has just called me to say he has finished charging Mr Gbagbo,” Koffi said.
“And last Tuesday, Mrs Gbagbo was charged and moved into preventative detention.
“The charges are: economic infraction, armed robbery, looting, embezzlement of public goods.”
Ivorian authorities charged 57 soldiers from Gbagbo’s regime last Thursday with crimes ranging from murder and kidnapping to attacking state security and buying illegal arms.
Last week, the former head of Gbagbo’s party, Pascal Affi N’Guessan, and 11 others were charged with attacking state security and backing the former president’s refusal to concede the poll.
