Prosecutors in Mali are seeking a 20-year prison sentence for the former head of security on charges of conspiring against the state.
Written by: Ayman Ragab
The criminal division of the Court of Appeal in the Malian capital, Bamako, is close to bringing to a close the case related to the attempt to destabilize the state, after the public prosecutor, during Tuesday’s session, demanded a 20-year prison sentence for the former head of the security service, Colonel Major Kassoum Goita, and a number of other defendants.
The prosecution's demands came after the hearings concluded, and the state was asked to pay a symbolic compensation of one African franc for the moral damages it claims to have suffered.
Calls for the defendants to be sentenced to 20 years in prison
The prosecutor, Judge Koki Coulibaly, demanded that the defendants be sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of criminal conspiracy and plotting to overthrow the government.
The prosecution's requests also included Dr. Kalilou Doumbia and a number of other defendants, while it recommended the acquittal of Chief Inspector Mustapha Diakite, considering that the nature of his friendly relationship with one of the defendants did not warrant his conviction.
The court decided to adjourn the session to allow the defense team to present its closing arguments in a case that is being followed widely by the public in Mali.
