A court in Ivory Coast on Tuesday found former
first lady Simone Gbagbo guilty of charges related
to her role in a 2011 post-election crisis in which
around 3,000 people were killed, sentencing her to
20 years in prison, her lawyer said.
Gbagbo, who is also wanted by the International
Criminal Court for alleged crimes against
humanity, was tried along with 82 other allies of
ex-President Laurent Gbagbo.
“The jury members retained all the charges
against her, including disturbing the peace,
forming and organising armed gangs and
undermining state security,” said Rodrigue Dadje.
Her civil rights will also be suspended for a period
of 10 years.
The former president’s son, Michel Gbagbo, was
also convicted and sentenced to five years in
prison, he said.
Ivory Coast’s brief 2011 civil war was sparked by
Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to acknowledge his
defeat to Alassane Ouattara, now president, in
elections in late 2010.
He is awaiting trial at the ICC accused of crimes
against humanity for his alleged role in
orchestrating the violence.
Ivory Coast refused to transfer Simone Gbagbo to
The Hague court, claiming she could be judged
fairly in a domestic court.
Source: www.punchng.com/news/ivory-coast-jails-ex-first-lady-20-years-over-election-violence/