Thirty years in prison were required, Tuesday, February 8, against the former president of Burkina Faso Blaise Compaoré, accused of being the main sponsor of the assassination of his predecessor Thomas Sankara, killed with twelve of his companions during a coup in 1987.
The military prosecutor's office asked the court to find Blaise Compaoré guilty of "attacking state security", "concealment of a corpse" and "complicity in murder".
Driven out of power by the street in 2014, Blaise Compaoré has since lived in Côte d'Ivoire and is the great absentee from this trial, his lawyers having denounced "an exceptional court".
Thirty years in prison were also required against the commander of his guard, Hyacinthe Kafando who is suspected of having led the commando which killed Thomas Sankara and his collaborators on October 15, 1987.
Hyacinthe Kafando is the other major absentee from the trial, on the run since 2016.
Three to twenty years in prison required for the other defendants
Twenty years in prison were required against General Gilbert Diendéré, one of the leaders of the army during the putsch of 1987 and the main defendant present.
He is already serving a 20-year sentence for a 2015 coup attempt.
Several prison sentences - from three to twenty years - were also required against five defendants and one of eleven years suspended.
>> To read: Thomas Sankara, an African hero
Finally, the prosecution requested acquittal, "for unconstitutional facts", for three defendants and for "prescription" for the last two.
Twelve of the fourteen defendants were present at this trial.
The overwhelming majority pleaded not guilty.
With AFP
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