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Mali: Many parliamentary seats to be decided in runoff, as coup leader Gen. Sanogo faces justice
Officials in Mali have revealed that many of Mali’s 147 parliamentary seats will be decided in a runoff next month following a first-round vote on Sunday that was characterized by a low turnout.
As the country progresses towards a functional democracy, latest reports from the country indicate that leader of last year’s coup that was a catalyst for the ensuing chaos will be facing justice.
The development indicates that the government of Mali’s newly elected president is not afraid to stand up to General Amadou Haya Sanogo, who led the March 2012 coup and is accused of systematically torturing and allegedly executing soldiers who questioned his grip on power.
Despite stepping down and handing power to a civilian administration, Sanogo remained a powerful force in Mali for much of 2012, and many believe he was calling the shots. This August, the country held its first presidential election since the coup, electing a new leader, and in a move applauded by rights groups, the administration has not shied away from confronting Sanogo.
On October 31, a judge issued a summons calling for Sanogo to present himself before the court in order to answer questions regarding his alleged role in the killings of his fellow soldiers. He repeatedly failed to show up.
Law enforcement officials arrived at the residence of Gen. Sanogo in order to escort the general so that he could answer the judge’s summons.
Most people in Mali had never heard of Sanogo last spring, when a mutiny broke out at a military garrison, located just a few miles from the presidential palace. The rioting rank-and-file soldiers asked Sanogo, who was then an army captain, to be their leader, and together they marched on the presidential palace, ending two decades of democracy in a matter of hours.
