Sunday Tribune

Acquitted Gbagbo can leave Belgium

- ANA

PRETORIA: The Internatio­nal Criminal Court (ICC) said former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo could leave Belgium under certain conditions following his acquittal last year over post-electoral violence that killed 3000 people the online Nigerian publicatio­n, today ng, reported.

Gbagbo, the first head of state to stand trial in The Hague, and his deputy Charles Ble Goude were cleared last year of crimes against humanity – eight years after the former West African strongman’s arrest and transfer to the court.

On Friday, the publicatio­n cited an ICC spokespers­on, saying Gbagbo could travel provided the country he was going to agreed to receive him.

However, it remains uncertain if Gbagbo can return to Ivory Coast, where his Ivorian Popular Front

Party is preparing to challenge President Alassane Ouattara’s ruling party in elections scheduled for October.

 ??  ?? Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Gbagbo

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