ICC: Prosecution Calls for New Trial Against Gbagbo and Blé Goudé

Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, here on July 8, 2019. EVA PLEVIER / ANP / AFP

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The judges of the appeal chamber of the International Criminal Court closed this Wednesday, June 24, three days of hearing in the case of Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé, and started their deliberations.

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In conclusion, the deputy prosecutor considered that the gravity of the facts and the status of Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé required that "  justice be done  ". Helen Brady explained that the prosecution would open a new case if the judges agreed to invalidate the trial brought against the former Ivorian president and the ex-chief of the Young Patriots for crimes against humanity committed during the post-election crisis from 2010-2011.

For three days, the prosecution defended its request to set aside the acquittals pronounced on January 15, 2019 by denouncing procedural defects. The prosecutor's office claims that the judges did not respect the formalities when they pronounced the acquittals in favor of Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé. 

According to Laurent Gbagbo's lawyer, the prosecutor seeks to blame the judges for his failure, "  to save face  " when she was able to investigate and present her witnesses for three years. The lawyer emphasizes that the prosecution has not appealed on the responsibility of Laurent Gbagbo on the merits of the case.

The key issue in these proceedings was whether the errors of law allegedly committed by the trial chamber are such that they could have changed the final finding, that of acquitting. It is on this particular issue that judges will now have to deliberate. No time limit is imposed on the Appeals Chamber. Generally, such decisions are not made for several weeks or even months.

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  • Ivory Coast
  • International justice
  • Laurent Gbagbo
  • Charles Blé Goudé