The ICC: Court acquits Laurent Gbagbo and Ble Goude of Cote d’Ivoire

 

The International Criminal Court has acquitted former President of Côte d’Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo and another emblematic political figure, Charles Ble Goude.

The unprecedented decision to acquit the two of war crimes was read this 15th January 2019 at the Hague.

Lawyers at the Hague say the prosecution failed to show proof of charges against the 73-year-old former leader and his close aid.

Laurent Gbagbo was accused of war crimes that involved an estimated 30,000 deaths in  2010 especially during the post-election violence in Cote D’Ivoire.

He was arrested in 2011 by French -backed forces after refusing to step down when Mr Allasane Ouattara was declared winner.
Mr Gbagbo and Ble Goude have been on trial in the past eight years on charges of rape, murder, and other inhumane acts.

Shortly after the verdict, the former President’s wife Simone Gbagbo expressed joy over her husband’s acquittal in a Facebook video.

Simone Gbagbo had been slammed a 20-year jail term for her role in the 2010 Post-election violence and later granted presidential clemency alongside 800 others accused, in August 2018.

Kathy Neba Sina

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