BY LOU SIFA

(Reporting by Awa Fofana)

The former speaker of the Ivorian parliament, Guillaume Soro, who previously served as the country’s prime minister, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison after a marathon trial in absentia that lasted only a few hours, with Soro in exile in France.

The verdict came today (Tuesday) after the trial in the nation’ largest city and commercial hub, Abidjan. The 20-year term is accompanied by a fine of CFAF b4.5. Additionally, Soro is stripped of his civic rights for a period of seven years. The trial was boycotted by the former prime minister’s lawyers who claim that it was intended to stop their client from contesting the upcoming presidential election scheduled on 31 October.

Soro was tried on charges of “embezzlement of public funds” and “money laundering.”

The former prime minister, who announced his candidacy months ago, swiftly reacted to the decision:

“I consider this verdict as a non-event. I maintain my candidacy for the presidency, and I ask all my followers to remain mobilized and continue the mobilization effort and keep gaining ground.”

He also assured his followers “Our victory is certain. We’ll win the next presidential election.”

This came a week after the African Court on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) based in Arusha, Tanzania unanimously ruled to order the Ivorian government to suspend its arrest warrant for Soro and called for the release of his political allies and relatives who have been imprisoned for four months, since the warrant was issued. They include five lawmakers, former members of cabinet, and two of his brothers.

The ACHPR considers the warrant is likely to “seriously compromise the exercise of the political rights and freedoms of the applicants.”

Some observers consider the trial, and the arrest, an effort to stop Soro from running. They fear this might ignite more trouble in a country that has been shaken multiple times over the past twodecades by large-scale violence.

Many expected this turn of event since the remarks, last week, of the Ivorian Minister of Communication and the government’s spokesperson, Sidi Tiémoko Touré, following the CCHPR’s ruling: “The government has no comments about this decision. However, one must keep in mind that the procedures undertaken by the Ivorian Justice will follow their course.”