Prosecutors in Ivory Coast have charged 11 individuals, including members of the African Peoples’ Party Cote d’Ivoire (PPA-CI) of former president Laurent Gbagbo, with offences classified as “terrorist acts.” The charges stem from violent incidents that occurred on the night of August 1 in an Abidjan suburb, where a public bus was set ablaze and a police vehicle was attacked.
According to prosecutor Oumar Braman Kone, the violence was carried out “by a horde of hooded individuals holding machetes, clubs, firearms, and incendiary cocktails.” Investigations led to the arrest of nine suspects, several of whom are PPA-CI members. During questioning, they named Lida Kouassi Moise, a former defence minister, and Kone Boubakar, a retired ambassador, as alleged instigators. Both men were taken into custody over the weekend.
What Charges Are the Suspects Facing?
Kone stated that the group intended to spread “terror” and unrest following President Alassane Ouattara’s controversial announcement that he would seek a fourth term in the upcoming October elections. The accused face multiple charges, including “terrorist acts, conspiracy against state authority, participation in an insurrection, wilful damage to a vehicle, and arson of a vehicle belonging to others.”
The PPA-CI has strongly denied involvement, describing the arrests as “an operation of intimidation and repression” and “judicial and political harassment.” However, Kone maintained that the actions were not politically motivated.
Political Tensions Ahead of the Election
The developments come amid heightened tensions less than three months before the October 25 presidential vote. Several opposition leaders, including Gbagbo, have been barred from running due to court rulings. On Saturday, thousands of opposition supporters marched peacefully in Yopougon, where the alleged attacks took place, protesting Ouattara’s candidacy and calling for the reinstatement of banned leaders to the electoral roll.
By Lucky Anyanje