[ad_1]
A trial will start on Monday in Madagascar for 21 individuals accused of planning a coup d’etat, together with two French males and their wives.
Arrested on July 20, Paul Rafanoharana, Philippe Francois and their wives are accused of endangering the safety of the state, legal conspiracy and a plot to assassinate President Andry Rajoelina.
The chief prosecutor accused them of “placing collectively a plan to eradicate or neutralise varied Malagasy public figures together with the pinnacle of state”.
They deny all involvement.
Along with 17 different accused, the 4 are set to seem on the Anosy courthouse in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo.
READ | Madagascar prosecutors say foiled assassination bid on president
It was not instantly clear whether or not journalists will likely be allowed to attend the general public listening to, which defence legal professionals mentioned ought to final three or 4 days.
Defendant Rafanoharana, who’s French-Malagasy, is a former adviser to the president.
In the meantime Francois, a former colonel within the French military, ran an funding firm in Madagascar known as Tsarafirst. The 2 males had been companions for a short while within the enterprise.
Arlette Rafanomadio, defending Rafanoharana and his spouse, informed AFP the listening to is “an unfair trial”.
“We have not had sufficient time to arrange our defence technique and entry to our purchasers has been tough,” she complained.
READ | Madagascar president sacks ministers, saying some had been poor performers
In a case whose supporting paperwork run to 400 pages, she spoke to her purchasers for simply half an hour on Friday, Rafanomadio added.
A gaggle of Francois’ former classmates at France’s elite Saint-Cyr army academy mentioned in an announcement that they had been “sure of his innocence”, calling for “the calmest debates attainable and respect for the defendants’ rights” throughout the trial.
[ad_2]
Source link
