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Ex-Interior Minister arrested for "subversion"

Cote d'Ivoire's former minister of the interior was detained on Tuesday by the military authorities, for alleged "subversive activities" and in connection with the embezzlement of public funds, the military authorities said in a communique issued on Wednesday. The statement said that Emile Bombet was arrested after organising meetings which aimed to "betray national security" and for his role in "certain economic crimes against the state." It cited a financial scam involving some US $27 million of EU aid, and the misappropriation of state funds amounting to some 8 billion F CFA (US $12 million) originally set aside for presidential and legislative elections in 1995 and municipal elections in 1996. The authorities said their investigations were continuing and others would be "detained for questioning" in the next few days. Bombet had been arrested just after the 24 December military coup which ousted former President Henri Konan Bedie but was released a month later along with other civilians.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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