An Ivory Coast court has sent former first lady Simone Gbagbo to prison on charges of “undermining state security” during the 2010-2011 post-election violence that left nearly 3,000 dead.
The wife of former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo was also accused of “disturbing public order” and “organising armed gangs” after her husband and his supporters rejected the outcome of December 2010’s presidential election showing rival Alassane Ouattara had won the poll.
The court “unanimously” condemned Mrs Gbagbo to 20 years in jail, court president Tahirou Dembele said in a statement on Tuesday (March 10). Her stepson Michel, a French-born dual national from Laurent Gbagbo’s previous marriage, was also sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the violence.
Once referred to by admirers and opponents alike as Ivory Coast’s “Iron Lady,” Simone Gbagbo has been on trial since January with 82 co-defendants accused of varying degrees of involvement in the deadly unrest. Prosecutors had asked for a lighter 10-year jail term for the 65-year-old former first lady.
Her daughter from a previous marriage, Marie Antoinette Singleton, told the BBC’s Newsday programme that the sentence was unfair and a sign of “political justice”.
“Why would you want to double it? It’s not about justice; it’s about getting rid of political adversaries.
“If we say that something wrong happened, it happened on both sides. Nobody looked into bringing all responsible parties to trial,” she said.
Simone Gbagbo’s lawyer said they would appeal. “I was expecting Simone to be acquitted,” Rodrigue Dadje told the BBC French service.
“There is no proof of her involvement at a personal level… I am ashamed for the Ivorian justice system.”
“Simone Gbagbo most certainly participated in the composition of armed gangs,” state prosecutor Simon Yabo Odi told the court Tuesday, adding “her men… participated in an insurrectional movement.”
Two former military allies also received 20-year jail terms: Gen Bruno Dogbo Ble, once head of the Republic Guard, and the ex-navy chief Adm Vagba Faussignaux. The other accused got lesser sentences.
Despite a promise from President Alassane Ouattara that both sides would face justice, no-one in the president’s camp has been charged.
On Monday, the former first lady gave testimony for nearly four hours, confronting witnesses who said they’d seen her distributing arms to youths in Abidjan with flat denials. She told the court that she “forgives” her accusers, saying: “I have suffered humiliation on humiliation during this trial. But I am ready to forgive… because if we do not forgive, the country faces a crisis worse than what we experienced.”
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in months of post-election violence ultimately halted by the intervention of international forces acting under a UN mandate, and led by former colonial power France.
Prosecutors in the case are also seeking a two-year term for Affi N’Guessan,the former head of the first couple’s political party. Former president Laurent Gbagbo is still awaiting trial by the International Criminal Court. He is facing four charges, including murder, rape and persecution.
