Ivory Coast grants presidential pardon to 3,000

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Headlines Saturday, September 21st, 2013

Abidjan – The Ivorian Government has granted presidential pardon to 3,000 people, imprisoned for various criminal offences in the country.
This is contained in statement issued by the government’s spokesman, Mr Bruno Kone, on Saturday after an extra-ordinary cabinet meeting in Abidjan.
The statement said the pardon did not include political detainees and prisoners.
It explained that the cabinet took a decision to refuse the extradition of Simone, wife of former President Laurent Gbagbo to the Hague.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) had issued a warrant of arrest on Simone on Feb. 29 last year.
Responding to questions from newsmen, Kone said that Simone who had been in detention in Odienné, North-West of Cote d’Ivoire, would be tried in Ivorian courts.
”The decision is based on the fact that Ivorian national courts are now rehabilitated, so Mrs Gbagbo is sure of a fair trial.
”At the time of Gbagbo’s transfer in 2011, our justice system was practically dormant, courts were destroyed, we were not sure of justice, even Gbagbo’s security was not guaranteed.”
Kone said that the return of peace had necessitated the government’s decision not to extradite Simone to the Hague for trial.
The arrest of the former Ivorian first family on April 11, 2011, officially ended the country’s post-election crisis.
The government’s long delay in making official a statement concerning the ICC’s warrant of arrest on Simone had raised series of reactions in the West African country.
Gbagbo, Simone and his son, Michel, were arrested, following the violence that erupted, due to a disputed presidential election between him and President Alassane Ouattara.
Michel was among 14 supporters of the former president, granted provisional release by the Ivorian judiciary last month.
The Ivorian post-election crisis is officially reported to have caused the death of some 3,000 people.

-Vanguardwp_posts