By Emmanuel Nduka
After the Constitutional Council in Burkina Faso rejected a defense petition three weeks ago, the trial for the October 1987 assassination of its former President, Thomas Sankara and his colleagues has resumed.
The trial of the 14 men linked to the assassination of Sankara resumed on Tuesday in the Ouaga 2000 venue serving as court.
Defense lawyer assisting the former medical officer charged with forging Sankara’s death certificate, pleaded for acquittal, while two other defendant’s lawyers also pleaded for their clients to be acquitted.
Citing the 34-year time lapse between the trial and the acts alleged against the accused, the councils put forward a statute of limitations and a lack of witnesses.
It would be recalled that the Sankara trial was suspended in early March after the defense team petitioned the Constitutional Council.
Citing the Council’s approval of the military takeover by Colonel Damiba, the lawyers challenged the charges of crime against national security asking for them to be dropped on the basis of an exception of unconstitutionality.
