International

My trial for war crimes is politically motivated –Ivory Coast’s ex first lady

Published

8 years ago

June 1, 2016

My trial for war crimes is politically motivated --Ivory Coast's ex first lady

Simone Gbagbo, the former first lady of Ivory Coast has told all those who care to listen that her trial for war crimes is politically motivated.

The former first lady was tried on Tuesday at a domestic court for crimes against humanity especially for her alleged role in a civil war that followed a 2010 presidential election with at least 3,000 people reportedly killed during the strife.

Her trial follows the government’s rejection of her extradition to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague with Gbagbo telling her supporters before the court case that her trial is ‘political motivated’.

Her husband, ex-president Laurent Gbagbo, is already before the ICC on charges linked to the brief conflict, which was sparked by his refusal to accept defeat to Alassane Ouattara in an election run-off.

Flanked by policemen, Simone, a key figure in her husband’s regime, greeted several dozen cheering supporters gathered at the entrance of the court in the commercial capital Abidjan with waves and smiles.

The prosecution alleges she was part of a small group of party officials from Gbagbo’s Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) that planned violence against Ouattara’s supporters to keep him out of power.

“The FPI put in place a crisis cell in January 2011 that met at the presidential residence and constituted the organ charged with planning and organising the repression,” an indictment read in court stated.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now