In a highly anticipated televised diplomatic intervention, the public prosecutor at the Abidjan Court of First Instance has refuted allegations of ill-treatment of late Burkinabe activist Alino Faso, as the crisis with Burkina Faso deepens.
Faced with persistent accusations from Burkina Faso, which denounces a “vile assassination,” Oumar Braman Kone chose to break his usual silence to publicly detail on NCI the detention conditions of the Burkinabe activist who died on July 24.
“Alain Christophe Traore”, alias Alino, was prosecuted before the anti-terrorism section of the Abidjan Court of First Instance for conspiracy against state authority and espionage,” the magistrate recalled, before painting an unexpected picture of the defendant’s prison conditions.
“Privileged” detention conditions
Contrary to Burkinabe accusations of torture, the prosecutor insisted on the near perfect treatment given to the detainee.
“He was entitled to breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even the opportunity to provide a menu of what he wanted to eat. He was allowed to watch television” the prosecutor claimed.
This detailed description comes at a time of extreme tension, as the Burkinabe prosecutor’s office announced the opening of a judicial investigation against unidentified persons for torture and murder, firmly rejecting the official theory of suicide.
The choice to detain Alino Faso at the gendarmerie academy rather than the remand centre was “simply for his own safety,” Oumar Braman Kone stated, responding to criticism of the conditions of Alno’s incarceration.
”Investigation quite clear”
Asked directly about possible acts of torture, the prosecutor was categorical: “No, that only concerns those, otherwise the investigation is quite clear on that.”
This statement contrasts with the Burkinabe version, in which an investigating judge was appointed for alleged acts of torture and murder. The Ivorian prosecutor confirmed the opening of a judicial inquiry “to determine the causes of death,” entrusted to the senior investigating judge, declining to comment further on this ongoing procedure.
A diplomatic crisis with regional implications
Prosecutor Koné’s intervention comes as the controversial death of Alino Faso rekindles a diplomatic crisis with serious consequences between Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire. The deceased’s family and the Burkinabe government denounce the complete lack of official notification of the death, revealed on social media three days after the incident.
The Burkinabe Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean Marie Traore, summoned the Chargée d’Affaires of the Côte d’Ivoire embassy in Ouagadougou to demand an explanation. The Burkinabe government is demanding the
immediate repatriation of Alino’s remains and “the full truth about the circumstances of this death.”
Repercussions for regional integration
This affair comes at a delicate time for the region, as talks are underway between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), composed of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, which are breaking away from traditional regional structures.
According to several observers, the tension arising from this affair, described as “unworthy” and “contemptuous” by Ouagadougou, threatens to further weaken the fragile political dialogue underway between the AES and regional institutions such as UEMOA, in which Côte d’Ivoire plays a leading role.
At the end of July, the AES countries walked out of a crucial meeting on the rotating presidency of UEMOA, disagreeing with the proposed modalities. This departure highlighted the growing divisions between Sahelian states and coastal countries, particularly over the management of the CFA franc, for which France remains the guarantor.
AC/Sf/fss/as/APA