Niger Jails 9 Soldiers Over Coup Attempt

Niger Jails 9 Soldiers Over Coup Attempt
File Photo

Nine Nigerien soldiers have been jailed between five and 15 years for attempted coup against President Mahamadou Issoufou in 2015, according to  local reports.

It was gathered that the soldiers bagged the jail terms on Friday.
Recall that the government, in December 2015, said it had foiled a coup and arrested people planning to use aerial firepower to seize control of Niger.

According to the judgement read out by Judge Ibrahim Daoudika, the suspected ringleader General Salou Souleymane, got 15 years, as did two others.

Also, six co-conspirators bagged sentences ranging from five to 10 years, and another three accused were acquitted.

“This is not what we expected, but the court is sovereign and it judged that they conspired against the state,” lawyer Nabara Ycouba told a news conference. “The law does not allow for an appeal. I will discuss with my clients what to do.”

Issoufou was elected in 2011, one year after a coup.

He was then re-elected in February 2016 with 92.5 percent of the vote, after the opposition coalition boycotted the election.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *