Sankara assassination trial: members of the close guard testify
People attend the opening of the trial of the alleged perpetrators of Thomas Sankara's assassination in Ouagadougou, October 11, 2021. AFP - OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In the trial on the assassination of Thomas Sankara, witnesses take the stand.
Already 25 witnesses out of the hundred have been heard by the military tribunal.
Monday, it was the turn of three members of Thomas Sankara's close guard: Laurent Ilboudo, Sow Drissa and François Zidouemba, survivors of the killing of October 15, 1987.
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With our correspondent in Ouagadougou,
Yaya Boudani
On the day of the coup d'état, they stayed with the father of the revolution from 7 a.m. until his death around 4 p.m. at the Conseil de l'Entente. "Surprised" by the attackers, they could not react. Arrested then released the day after the coup, they implicate, in court, members of the close security of Blaise Compaoré and the soldier Bossobè Traoré, of the close guard of Thomas Sankara, presented as indicated by the attackers. .
According to these witnesses, it was one of Blaise Compaoré's security vehicles that was embedded at the entrance to the meeting room. "
I just had time to jump into the room,
" said the soldier François Zidouemba. President Sankara asks what is going on outside. "
I replied that it was Blaise Compaoré's security men who were attacking us
", continues the witness. President Sankara then decides to surrender, according to François Zidouemba. “
I was the first to come out unarmed. They didn't shoot me, but they knocked me down,
”he explains.
"
When President Thomas Sankara came out with his hands in the air, they opened fire but I do not know who fired, I was lying,
" he continues.
The witness claims to have seen Arzouma Ouedraogo dit Otis shoot point blank at soldiers Abdoulaye Gouem and Wallilaye Sawadogo.
"
Who was able to escape from the rear?
Asked Hyacinthe Kafando, according to the witness.
"
It's Bossobè Traoré, but he is injured,
" replies Arzouma Ouedraogo said Otis, according to François Zidouemba.
“
He had to be shot.
He has known about what was going to happen for a long time and what is he doing here?
“Complained Hyacinthe Kafando, says the witness.
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