An appeals court in Burkina Faso has confirmed the dismissal of charges against the sole suspect in the politically explosive 1998 murder of prominent journalist Norbert Zongo.
Zongo’s death while investigating a killing in circles close to the head of state sparked unprecedented socio-political unrest in Burkina Faso at the time. Lack of freedom of speech and allegations of repression of the opposition were major complaints in the massive strikes and protests that ensued.
“It is with deep regret that the court purely and simply confirmed the dismissal of the charges. It is with great pain that we have to deal with it,” Zongo family attorney Benewinde Sankara said after the verdict on Wednesday.
Last month, prosecutors announced they were dismissing charges against suspect Marcel Kafando, the former head of the presidential guard, in connection with Zongo’s killing. The prosecutor said a key witness failed to recall details of a meeting with Kafando days before Zongo’s murder.
Kafando was the only defendant in the case and was later convicted of a murder that Zongo was investigating at the time of his death.
Zongo, publisher of the weekly Independent, was killed in December 1998 while investigating the murder of David Ouedraogo, the chauffeur of the younger brother of President Blaise Compaore. The burned, bullet-ridden bodies of Zongo and three companions were found in Zongo’s car, 100 kilometers outside the capital Ouagadougou.
An independent investigative body concluded in 1999 that Zongo’s death was linked to his journalistic work and designated six presidential bodyguards as "serious suspects" in the murder.
“The government and especially the president's side have been doing everything to block the investigation,” said Vincent Brossel, a spokesman for Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontiers. “Even if Burkina Faso is seen as a country with a certain amount of democracy it is a democracy with a huge limit, meaning you can't touch the president and his family and the circle around him.”
Prosecutor Abdoulaye Barry said the rule of law prevailed in the appellate court’s ruling.
“We asked the court to confirm the previous judgment in accordance with the articles of the penal code,” he said.
Barry, however, said the ruling did not necessarily mean it was the last word in Zongo’s case.
“This dismissal does not put an end to the case that can be reopened at any time within the 10 years of prescription, if there are new charges,” he said.
When asked if there was a future for the Zongo case, Brossel of RSF said: “With this government and this president I don’t think so.”
bo/cs/ccr
Zongo’s death while investigating a killing in circles close to the head of state sparked unprecedented socio-political unrest in Burkina Faso at the time. Lack of freedom of speech and allegations of repression of the opposition were major complaints in the massive strikes and protests that ensued.
“It is with deep regret that the court purely and simply confirmed the dismissal of the charges. It is with great pain that we have to deal with it,” Zongo family attorney Benewinde Sankara said after the verdict on Wednesday.
Last month, prosecutors announced they were dismissing charges against suspect Marcel Kafando, the former head of the presidential guard, in connection with Zongo’s killing. The prosecutor said a key witness failed to recall details of a meeting with Kafando days before Zongo’s murder.
Kafando was the only defendant in the case and was later convicted of a murder that Zongo was investigating at the time of his death.
Zongo, publisher of the weekly Independent, was killed in December 1998 while investigating the murder of David Ouedraogo, the chauffeur of the younger brother of President Blaise Compaore. The burned, bullet-ridden bodies of Zongo and three companions were found in Zongo’s car, 100 kilometers outside the capital Ouagadougou.
An independent investigative body concluded in 1999 that Zongo’s death was linked to his journalistic work and designated six presidential bodyguards as "serious suspects" in the murder.
“The government and especially the president's side have been doing everything to block the investigation,” said Vincent Brossel, a spokesman for Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontiers. “Even if Burkina Faso is seen as a country with a certain amount of democracy it is a democracy with a huge limit, meaning you can't touch the president and his family and the circle around him.”
Prosecutor Abdoulaye Barry said the rule of law prevailed in the appellate court’s ruling.
“We asked the court to confirm the previous judgment in accordance with the articles of the penal code,” he said.
Barry, however, said the ruling did not necessarily mean it was the last word in Zongo’s case.
“This dismissal does not put an end to the case that can be reopened at any time within the 10 years of prescription, if there are new charges,” he said.
When asked if there was a future for the Zongo case, Brossel of RSF said: “With this government and this president I don’t think so.”
bo/cs/ccr
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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