Togo: an investigation opened after the death of Colonel Bitala Madjoulba

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The commander of the 1st Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) was found dead in his office Monday morning May 4. The death of this officer comes the day after the inauguration of Faure Gnassingbé for a new five-year term, the fourth after the presidential election of February 22 which continues to be disputed by his challenger Gabriel Agbéyomé Kodjo.

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With our correspondent in Lomé ,  Peter Sassou Dogbé

Colonel Bitala Madjoulba was found dead in a pool of blood in his office Monday morning. The senior officer who commanded the 1st Rapid Intervention Battalion of the first military region since the refoundation of the army in 2014, was seen in public for the last time Sunday at the investiture ceremony of the President of the Republic. He immediately took part in the Togolese Armed Forces allegiance ceremony to the Head of State at the Palace of the Presidency.

Colonel Bitala Madjoulba showed no signs of stress or concern, told us one of his colleagues, an officer superior to the General Staff of the armies. 

This former child of troops, trained at the school of active officers of Senegal and the war school of Cameroon, before joining his base Sunday evening, toured the positions of all his units which surround the capital

According to the public prosecutor, Essolizam Poyodi, a bullet was extracted from his body, an investigation is open.

For the purposes of the investigation, all the people around him are being interviewed.

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