France authorizes François Compaoré's extradition to Burkina Faso

Text by: RFI Follow

The French government has authorized the extradition of François Compaoré to Burkina Faso, where this brother of the ousted former president is implicated in the investigation into the 1998 murder of a journalist, AFP learned on Thursday with Matignon.

Publicity

The extradition decree of Blaise Compaoré's younger brother, driven out by the street after 27 years in power at the end of October 2014, was signed by Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, according to this source. It has yet to be published in the Official Journal.

Contacted by AFP, Mr. Compaoré's lawyer, Me Pierre-Olivier Sur, refused to make any comments for the time being. This decree remains subject to appeal to the Council of State.

In June 2019, the Court of Cassation had dismissed Mr. Compaoré's appeal against his extradition to Ouagadougou, where the Zongo file, classified in 2003 after a “dismissal” in favor of the accused only, was reopened in favor of the fall of his brother, Blaise Compaoré.

→ Read also: Nobert Zongo affair: François Compaoré's extradition decree soon to be taken

A recognized investigative journalist and director of the weekly L'Indépendant , Norbert Zongo was assassinated on December 13, 1998, while investigating the murder of François Compaoré's driver. His death had caused a deep political crisis in the "land of upright men".

The 49-year-old journalist, author of several resounding investigations denouncing bad governance under the Compaoré regime, had been killed with three of his companions. The four bodies had been found calcined in the south of Burkina Faso.

François Compaoré was arrested at Roissy airport in October 2017 in execution of an arrest warrant issued by the Ouagadougou authorities.

But to date, he has not been charged in his country, unlike three ex-soldiers of the Presidential Security Regiment (RSP), the former Praetorian guard of Blaise Compaoré.

( With AFP)

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

Download the app

• Burkina Faso
• Blaise Compaore
• France