Mali ex-intelligence chief sentenced to prison for plotting coup

NewsMali ex-intelligence chief sentenced to prison for plotting coupIn this Tuesday, April 3, 2012 file photo, soldiers stand guard at junta headquarters in Kati, outskirt Bamako, Mali   -   Copyright © africanews Copyright 2012 AP. All rights reserved.By Africanews with AFPLast updated: 24/07 - 18:28MaliA court sentenced Mali's former head of domestic intelligence Friday to 15 years in prison for "conspiracy against the government", following a ten-day trial in which he openly accused the ruling junta of corruption. Colonel Kassoum Goita, the country's ex-head of internal security, was charged on suspicion of attempting a coup and destabilizing state institutions. He was found guilty of criminal conspiracy and conspiracy against the government.During the trial, Goita denied the charges and openly accused the ruling authorities of embezzling funds and subjecting him to torture. Goita is one of the army officers who overthrew elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in an August 2020 military putsch, led by Colonel Assimi Goita. The two men are not related despite sharing the same family name. Under diplomatic pressure, the army subsequently handed power to a civilian-led interim government tasked with steering Mali back towards civilian rule. Kassoum Goita became the head domestic intelligence under this government. However he was dismissed after Assimi Goita overthrew the leaders of the interim government in 2021, in a second putsch, and was declared interim president himself. The prosecutor had sought a 20-year prison sentence for Goita and five other defendants. All six of those prosecuted in the trial denied the charges against them and received sentences ranging from seven to 15 years in prison. "We are not surprised by the verdict. We intend to exhaust all domestic legal avenues before turning to other bodies", a defence lawyer told AFP.You may also like01:27Haiti mourns victims of Kenscoff gang attack as fear grips community 16 minutes ago01:14Spain PM Pedro Sanchez rules out Moroccan role in Ceuta migrant surge 1 hour ago01:10Algeria moves to restore death penalty for deliberate forest fires 1 hour agoShareMore About Mali Colonel Assimi Goita Alliance of Sahel StatesYou may also like01:27Haiti mourns victims of Kenscoff gang attack as fear grips community 16 minutes ago01:14Spain PM Pedro Sanchez rules out Moroccan role in Ceuta migrant surge 1 hour ago01:10Algeria moves to restore death penalty for deliberate forest fires 1 hour agoOn the same subjectNEWS01:10HRW says Russian paramilitaries killed 9 civilians in Mali 20/08 - 16:08BUSINESS AFRICA11:19DRC: Will the copper export ban finally deliver mineral sovereignty? {Business Africa} 21/08 - 14:06NEWS01:00Mali jails government critic for 'discrediting state' 17/08 - 18:39NEWS00:56UN says $50 million ransom fueled Al-Qaeda offensive in Mali 15/08 - 11:10NEWS01:01Mali frees 82 soldiers held by militants, pardons French embassy official 13/08 - 19:12BUSINESS AFRICA11:20West Africa: gold rush reshapes the mining market [Business Africa] 13/08 - 16:21More stories01:25General Abdourahamane TchianiCalm returns to Niger's capital one day after failed army mutiny 8 hours ago01:02CoupVote counting underway in Guinea-Bissau referendum that could expand presidential powers 7 hours ago00:56United KingdomNotting Hill Carnival kicks off in a burst of colour and Caribbean tradition 3 hours agoRead the full article at Africanews