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General released from detention

    ABIDJAN

    General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, a former member of a defunct military junta, was released from military detention on Wednesday, ending a four-month ordeal during which he was charged with threatening state security and stealing public funds.

    La Chambre de controle de l’instruction, the lowest court in the country, ordered his release on Tuesday but the government prosecutor failed to sign the release papers, Coulibaly’s lawyer, Ibrahima Doumbia, told IRIN.

    A military tribunal acquitted Coulibaly on 13 March of charges of threatening state security. However, he stayed in detention until Wednesday on the charge of stealing 2.25 billion francs CFA (US $3.1 million) from the Port Authority and the national lottery company. He regained his freedom after the state prosecutor withdrew its case.

    Another member of the deposed junta, General Lansana Palenfo, is serving a one-year prison term for endangering state security.

    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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