The trial for the October 1987 killing of former Burkina Faso president Sankara and his colleagues resumed, on Tuesday, after the constitutional council had rejected a defense petition and thus suspended the case.
14 men was arraign for trial by the Burkina Faso Judicial Council for the October 1987 killing of Burkina Faso president Thomas Sanakara and the trial was resumed back on Tuesday after 3 weeks break.
In the ouaga 2000 venue serving court, it was time for the speeches for the defense.
The lawyer that is defending a former medical practitioner that was charged for forging Sankara’s death certificate pleaded for release.
Two other defendant’s lawyer also pleaded that their client should be acquitted from the trial claiming that the 34 years time interval between the trial and the alleged acts against the accused and put forth a statute of limitations and lack of a proper witness.
After the trial was began, it was however suspended early March after the defense petitioned the Consititutional Council.
Pointing to the council’s approval of the military takeover by Col. Damiba, the lawyers challenged the charges of crime against national security and thus asked for the case to be dropped on the basis of an exception of unconstitutionally.
The petition as tendered by the accused lawyer was however rejected by the council on Friday.
