Former president of Burkina Faso Blaise Compaore has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the assassination of Thomas Sankara in 1987.
Campaore was convicted in a court proceedings that relied on video conferencing because he has been exiled in Cote d’Ivoire since 2014.
It remains to be seen how the Burkinabe authorities will obtain his extradition from Cote d’Ivoire to serve his prison term in Burkina Faso.
Several other officers who served in Campaore’s administration have also been sentenced. Hyacinthe Kafando, former commander of Campaore’s guard was also sentenced to 30 years in prison. Several other former officials include Gilbert Diendere, Campaore’s Chief of Staff who received 20 years.
The trial is expected to bring finality after nearly 34 years when Campaore overthrew Thomas Sankara from office during which coup d’etat the latter died mysteriously.
Campaore ruled Burkina Faso for 27 years during which time he won questionable re-election on three occasions.
His attempt to amend the constitution to extend his 27-year term caused the 2014 Burkinabé uprising. On 31 October 2014, Compaoré resigned, whereupon he fled to the Ivory Coast.
DNT News with correspondence reports from Julius Ouya
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