Ivory Coast: the defense requests the acquittal of four accused of the Grand-Bassam attack
Four defendants linked to the Grand-Bassam attack speak with lawyers, December 22, 2022. AFP - SIA KAMBOU
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2 mins
Eighth and last day of hearing of the trial of the alleged perpetrators of the Grand-Bassam attack.
The attack, perpetrated on March 13, 2016 in the seaside resort, left 22 dead.
It had been claimed by AQIM.
Last night, the prosecution requested life imprisonment for the four defendants who appear in the dock, and for six other people accused of being the masterminds of the attack.
This afternoon, the defense delivered its closing argument, and asked for the acquittal of its clients.
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With our correspondent in Abidjan
,
Bineta Diagne
After observing a minute of silence, the defense lawyers at the
trial of the Grand-Bassam
attack tackled the entire procedure.
For them, the prosecutor did not present any evidence showing the guilt of their clients.
No witness presented in court recognized them.
"
There is no clear element that connects the defendants to the facts of which they are accused
", underlines Me Eric Saki, who regrets that his clients are presented as "
scapegoats
".
For this lawyer, the “proximity” of his clients to certain defendants does not prove their complicity.
“
We only said that they were close to the man called
Kounta Dallah
.
Does being close to someone make you their accomplice?
Do we borrow the criminality of others?
Here is the whole question.
It was up to the prosecution to provide the evidence which justified that our clients had played any role or had taken part in the facts of which they were accused
, ”he believes.
“
Should they pay for the example?
»
“
Should they pay for the example?
In the name of what ?
“, he also wondered.
The defense requested that the four defendants present at the hearing be acquitted.
Just like 7 other people who already benefit from a dismissal of a first investigating judge.
As for the “others”, “
they confessed
”, affirms Me Eric Saki, who asks the court to “
draw the conclusions of the law”
.
At the end of the hearing, the four defendants spoke a word to the court to proclaim their innocence one last time.
Judgment has been reserved for December 28.
►Also read: Ivory Coast: the life sentence required for four defendants of the Grand-Bassam attack
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