The wife of General Gilbert Diendéré, former MP Fatoumata Diendéré Diallo, who was prosecuted in connection with the failed coup of 2015 and tried in absentia has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Ouagadougou military tribunal on Tuesday for her role in the insurrection.
By Alban Kini
A former member of parliament, Fatou, one of eight fugitives accused of the failed coup has been found guilty of complicity in attacks on state security, murder, assault and battery.
A day earlier, the military tribunal had imposed a 20-year prison sentence on her husband, General Gilbert Diendéré, convicted of acts of assault on state security, murder, assault and battery.
Fatoumata Diendéré’s co-accused are Traoré Abdoul Karim André aka “Perfectum,” Kagambèga Marguerite, Kaboré Emile, Songotoua Zakaria, Colonel Déka Mahamadi, Bougouma Kagoné Alima and Zougnooma Issoufou.
General Djibrill Bassolé, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, was sentenced to ten years in prison for treason in the same case.
The forfeiture of the decorations received by the two generals was also ordered by the military court.
The trial which began on February 27, 2018, witnessed more than 18 months of bitter court wranglings between the prosecutors and the defense.
The case involved 84 defendants, mostly of military backgrounds.
Following the verdicts handed down on Monday, the hearing was suspended on Tuesday and resumes on October 22, 2019 with the civil interests phase.
ALK/odl/cat/lb/as/APA