The prosecutor of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire announced Monday, December 23, that an "international arrest warrant" had been issued by the Ivorian justice against Guillaume Soro. The ex-rebel leader and presidential candidate for 2020 is suspected of "attempting to attack the authority of the state and the integrity of the national territory".

"Elements in the possession of the intelligence services" establish "clearly that the project was to be implemented soon," added prosecutor Richard Adou on Ivorian public television.

The former president of the Ivorian National Assembly is also targeted by a judicial investigation for "embezzlement of public funds, concealment and money laundering relating to the sum of 1.5 billion CFA francs" (approximately 2.25 million d 'euros), said the prosecutor.

Fifteen supporters arrested

Candidate for the presidential election of October 2020 in Ivory Coast, Guillaume Soro had to return to his country after six months of absence. But his private plane from finally landed in Ghana on Monday afternoon.

"Fifteen" of his supporters "were arrested" Monday by the police, including the deputy Alain Lobognon, the right hand of Guillaume Soro, "but for completely different cases," said the prosecutor.

The 47-year-old former prime minister led the Forces Nouvelles who tried in vain to overthrow President Laurent Gbagbo in 2002, before bringing Alassane Ouattara to power during the brief civil war that followed the disputed election of 2010 .

He has since fallen out with the Head of State, who should support his Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly for the presidential election in 2020. Alassane Ouattara however promised last month to run for a third term if his predecessors Laurent Gbabgo and Henri Konan Bedie introduce themselves.

With AFP and Reuters

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