• 01/06/2022
• By binternet
• 774 Views

Apollo 21: the two French convicted for attempted coup d 'état<

Two Frenchmen are officially condemned in an attempted coup d 'état in Madagascar, a great first in more than 60 years of independence on the Grande Île. Paul Maillot Rafanoharana, a former Franco-Malagasy gendarme, Philippe Marc François, a former French soldier, was sentenced to 20 years and 10 years, respectively, by the ordinary Criminal Court of Antananarivo yesterday. They are accused of attempting to assassinate President Andry Rajoelina in the Apollo 21 case.

The verdict of the court came at around 12.30 p.m. after 10 days of trial, during which some 20 people, as well as senior members of the gendarmerie and the armed forces as well as alleged relatives of the President of the Republic, marched in front of the judge. "they all tried to assassinate the President," according to General Counsel Arsène Rabe. But in the end, it is the two French and their close collaborators who will pay a heavy price.

The wife of Paul Rafanoharana, Andrianandrianina Voahanginomenjanahary Carolle, accused of complicity and possession of illegal weapons, and Aina Razafindrakoto, a former employee of the Central Bank, who fiercely opposed Andry Rajoelina's transitional regime in 2009, were sentenced to 5 and 10 years of hard labour, respectively. Former Prime Minister General Victor Ramahatra and artist Randriazanakolona William Ya

The other defendants, such as the companion of the former French soldier, Mroczek Brigitte, and General Anthonny Rakotoarison, who was chief of staff of the Secretariat of State in charge of the Gendarmerie before his name was cited in this case, as well as retired General Ferdinand Razakarimanana, are either released for the benefit of the doubt or simply acquitted.

For the lawyer of the former Franco-Malagasy gendarme, Willy Razafinjatovo, who called for the end of the proceedings for all the accused for lack of evidence, this is a "political trial". During the trial, the prosecution "never managed to prove the evidence against the accused", he regretted. Another defence lawyer, Solo Radson, refers, inter alia, to an "unfair verdict" and an "empty file". Needless to say, the verdict of the court is far from satisfactory for the defence. The lawyers of the Rafanoharana couple and the former French soldier then referred to an appeal in cassation against this decision of the ordinary Criminal Court.