Failed coup in São Tomé and Príncipe: the gray areas of the investigation
Presidential Palace in São Tomé.
© Neidy Ribeiro
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
The authorities of São Tomé gave an initial assessment of the coup attempt perpetrated on the night of Thursday to Friday, November 25.
Four people died, three assailants who had stormed the army headquarters and the opponent and former mercenary Arlécio Costa.
Deaths occurred in troubled circumstances while the international community came to the bedside of the archipelago renowned for its stability.
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The Santomean
Chief of Staff
,
Olinto Paquete, explained that three of the four assailants were killed by an explosion during the assault on the military base.
The opponent Arlécio Costa would, according to him, be dead after jumping from a vehicle while the authorities had arrested him at his home.
Several days after the coup attempt, gray areas still hover over the investigation.
And accusations of abuse have emerged after images of prisoners tied up and executed at army headquarters were shared on social media.
Brigadier Olinto Paquete indicated that an investigation was underway to clarify the circumstances
of these deaths
and specified that he could not explain the origin of these photos.
“
We are investigating to find out where they come from.
Our goal is for individuals to be interviewed and for us to know what happened.
From the first hours of an attack, anything is possible.
But afterwards, we have the lucidity to want to preserve the rule of law
,” he said.
An investigation into suspected abuse
The prosecutor opened two investigations.
One on
the coup attempt
and the other on the alleged abuses.
Civilians and soldiers were arrested, including twelve soldiers, as well as the former President of the Assembly, Delfim Neves.
The opposition warns of a possible drift and demands "
the release of the detainees
".
“
They are in mortal danger.
We have seen the horrific images of tortured victims.
We warn of the risk of installing a dictatorial power with the intention of muzzling democracy and intimidating opponents through a regime of terror, fear and persecution
,” said Raul Cardoso, deputy of the MLSTP/PSD party.
“A coup attempt is not acceptable
”
Justice and the police are therefore mobilized.
Investigators and a forensic team from Portugal will lend a hand to local authorities.
Saturday evening, the President of ECCAS, Gilberto da Piedade Verissimo as well as the Special Representative in Central Africa and Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa, Abdou Abarry were on site.
They condemned the putsch attempt, declared their solidarity with São Tomé, while deeming the images of tortured and killed people that circulated unacceptable.
"
For a country of peace and consensus, a coup attempt is not acceptable
," said the UN representative in Central Africa, Abdou Abarry.
And to add concerning the photos released: “
What we have seen in the media is just as unacceptable.
We have come to express our solidarity in the face of this terrible situation
”.
Sao Tome and Principe: following the events of the night of November 24 to 25, the President of the @CEEAC_ECCAS Commission and the Head of @UNOCA_NEWS carried out a joint fact-finding mission to #SaoTomé du November 26-27, 2022. @ONU_STP https://t.co/ZJgu3RsIwF
— UN Central Africa (@UNOCA_NEWS) November 27, 2022
The UN has also promised its help in the investigation, but also in the consolidation of Santomean democracy.
In a statement on the African Union's Twitter account, AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat "
strongly condemns the coup attempt
".
African Union Commission Chairperson @AUC_MoussaFaki strongly condemns coup attempt in Sao Tome and Principe @ https://t.co/UJHV9EmHxW pic.twitter.com/Kjs2qKPRZ0
— African Union (@_AfricanUnion) November 26, 2022
►Also read: São Tomé and Príncipe: a coup attempt was foiled, according to the Prime Minister
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