Former President Laurent Gbagbo awasilishwa ICC

Ab-Titchaz

Ab-Titchaz

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Jan 30, 2008
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Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo arrives in The Hague


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Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo has arrived at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague.

He left the northern town of Korhogo, after an arrest warrant was issued, and was flown to Rotterdam, from where he was transferred to detention in The Hague early on Wednesday.

The ICC has been investigating alleged war crimes committed in unrest after last year's disputed elections.

The transfer comes just two weeks before legislative elections.

Laurent Gbagbo had been under house arrest in Korhogo since April when he was ousted.

The BBC's John James in the Ivorian commercial capital Abidjan says there have been continual reports in the local press that armed supporters of the former president would attempt a jail break.

Forces loyal to him and those of his rival, President Alassane Ouattara, stand accused of killings, rapes and other alleged abuses in the conflict.

'Victor's justice'

ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo visited the country in mid-October to investigate the post-election violence.

He said his investigation would be impartial, and that he would focus on up to six people who he said were most to blame for the violence.
​




A convoy of vehicles said to have taken Laurent Gbagbo to Korhogo airport

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A statement read on Ivorian national television signed by the state prosecutor, Simplice Kouadio, said the ICC had issued an arrest warrant for Mr Gbagbo last week, which he had received this Tuesday in the presence of his lawyers.

Human rights groups welcomed the arrest warrant, but also cautioned against "victor's justice".

"While the Gbagbo camp fuelled the violence, forces on both sides have been repeatedly implicated in grave crimes," said Elise Keppler of Human Rights Watch.

"Victims of abuse meted out by forces loyal to President Ouattara [also] deserve to see justice done," she said.

In a statement to Reuters, an adviser to Mr Gbagbo, Toussaint Alain, branded the former president's transfer "victor's justice".

Although the Ivory Coast is not one of the member countries covered by the ICC, it has accepted its jurisdiction.

Mr Gbagbo is also being investigated by Ivorian justice officials for "economic crimes". He has been charged with looting, armed robbery and embezzlement.

Laurent Gbagbo was the president of Ivory Coast for 10 years, during which time the country was virtually partitioned by civil war.

But it is the period since the presidential elections a year ago that the prosecutors of the ICC have been investigating.

Mr Gbagbo refused to give up power when his rival Alassane Ouattara was internationally recognised as the winner of last November's presidential vote.

It is not clear what charges Mr Gbagbo will face at the ICC, but around 3,000 people died in the post-election violence provoked by Mr Gbagbo's decision to cling to power.

The BBC's World Affairs correspondent Peter Biles says Mr Gbagbo's transfer to The Hague will be welcomed by some, but it could also re-open the wounds in a country still traumatised by conflict.


BBC News - Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo arrives in The Hague
 
"It is not clear what charges Mr Gbagbo will face at the ICC, but around 3,000 people died in the post-election violence provoked by Mr Gbagbo's decision to cling to power. "

Tutachezewa sana akili
 
Rais aliyepora madaraka, ameanza kulipia bill yake. What a sad story for all africans head of states who surive by rigging elections.
 
Makala ya mashtaka dhidi ya Gbagbo

The Prosecutor v. Laurent Koudou Gbagbo
ICC-CPI-20111130-PR747

Situation: Côte d’Ivoire
Case: The Prosecutor v. Laurent Koudou Gbagbo

Laurent Koudou Gbagbo, national of Côte d’Ivoire, 66 years, arrived today at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention centre in the Netherlands. He was surrendered to the ICC on 29 November 2011 by the national authorities of Côte d´Ivoire following a warrant of arrest issued under seal by the judges of the Pre-Trial Chamber III on 23 November 2011. The suspect’s initial appearance hearing before the Pre-Trial Chamber III, composed of Judges Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi (presiding judge), Elizabeth Odio Benito and Adrian Fulford, will be held promptly.

Mr Gbagbo allegedly bears individual criminal responsibility, as indirect co-perpetrator, for four counts of crimes against humanity, namely murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, persecution and other inhuman acts, allegedly committed in the territory of Côte d’Ivoire between 16 December 2010 and 12 April 2011.

The date and time of the initial appearance hearing will be announced on the ICC Twitter account followed by a press release.

Factual allegations

Pre-Trial Chamber III found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that in the aftermath of the presidential elections in Côte d’Ivoire pro-Gbagbo forces attacked the civilian population in Abidjan and in the west of the country, from 28 November 2010 onwards, targeting civilians who they believed were supporters of the opponent candidate. Allegedly, the attacks were committed pursuant to an organisational policy and were also widespread and systematic as they were committed over an extended time period, over large geographic areas, and following a similar general pattern. The attacks were allegedly often directed at specific ethnic or religious communities and left a high number of reported victims.

The Chamber also found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a plan existed between Mr Gbagbo and his inner circle and that they were aware that implementing it would lead to the commission of the alleged crimes. Mr Gbagbo, together with others, allegedly exercised joint control over the crimes, and made a coordinated and essential contribution to the realisation of the plan.

Mr Gbagbo allegedly engaged his responsibility as “indirect co-perpetrator” (article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute) for the above-mentioned charges of crimes against humanity. However, the Chamber highlighted that this issue may well need to be revisited in due course with the parties and participants.

For more information on this case, please click here.
 
Yakitokea kama haya Tz dah itakuwa njema sana ili watawala wote Africa wajue hawana hati miliki na URAISI
 
MTM said:
waandishi wengine kama wanakula vinyonga au majongoo.... Gbagbo ni rais mstaafu??

kumbe udikteta tunaubariki wenyewe
Click to expand...
Cousin kuna siku TBC walikuwa wakimuhoji Lowasa nikasikia wanasema eti Waziri Mkuu Mstaafu nikasema tobaa
 
Rais aliyeamini kuwa yeye ni kipenzi cha watu na Ouattara kama mtumwa wa Wazungu!!!
 
Wakuu,

samahani kwa heading 'mbofu mbofu'....:smash::smash:

It's been fixed to potray the reality. Meanwhile here's a glimpse at the charges against the man from the ICC website.

Press Release: 30.11.2011




New suspect in the ICC's custody: Laurent Gbagbo arrived at the detention centre

ICC-CPI-20111130-PR747

Situation: Côte d'Ivoire

Case: The Prosecutor v. Laurent Koudou Gbagbo

Laurent Koudou Gbagbo, national of Côte d'Ivoire, 66 years, arrived today at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention centre in the Netherlands. He was surrendered to the ICC on 29 November 2011 by the national authorities of Côte d´Ivoire following a warrant of arrest issued under seal by the judges of the Pre-Trial Chamber III on 23 November 2011. The suspect's initial appearance hearing before the Pre-Trial Chamber III, composed of Judges Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi (presiding judge), Elizabeth Odio Benito and Adrian Fulford, will be held promptly.

Mr Gbagbo allegedly bears individual criminal responsibility, as indirect co-perpetrator, for four counts of crimes against humanity, namely murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, persecution and other inhuman acts, allegedly committed in the territory of Côte d'Ivoire between 16 December 2010 and 12 April 2011.

The date and time of the initial appearance hearing will be announced on the ICC Twitter account followed by a press release.

Factual allegations

Pre-Trial Chamber III found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that in the aftermath of the presidential elections in Côte d'Ivoire pro-Gbagbo forces attacked the civilian population in Abidjan and in the west of the country, from 28 November 2010 onwards, targeting civilians who they believed were supporters of the opponent candidate. Allegedly, the attacks were committed pursuant to an organisational policy and were also widespread and systematic as they were committed over an extended time period, over large geographic areas, and following a similar general pattern. The attacks were allegedly often directed at specific ethnic or religious communities and left a high number of reported victims.

The Chamber also found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a plan existed between Mr Gbagbo and his inner circle and that they were aware that implementing it would lead to the commission of the alleged crimes. Mr Gbagbo, together with others, allegedly exercised joint control over the crimes, and made a coordinated and essential contribution to the realisation of the plan.

Mr Gbagbo allegedly engaged his responsibility as "indirect co-perpetrator" (article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute) for the above-mentioned charges of crimes against humanity. However, the Chamber highlighted that this issue may well need to be revisited in due course with the parties and participants.

For more information on this case, please click here.

Background information on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire

The warrant of arrest for Laurent Koudou Gbagbo is the first warrant issued in the situation in Côte d'Ivoire.

Côte d'Ivoire is not party to the Rome Statute, but it had accepted the jurisdiction of the ICC on 18 April 2003; more recently, and on both 14 December 2010 and 3 May 2011, the Presidency of Côte d'Ivoire reconfirmed the country's acceptance of this jurisdiction.

On 3 October 2011, Pre-Trial Chamber III granted the Prosecutor's request for authorisation to open investigations on his own initiative into the situation in Côte d'Ivoire with respect to alleged crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court, committed since 28 November 2010, as well as with regard to crimes that may be committed in the future in the context of this situation. The judges authorised the Prosecutor to open an investigation with regard to crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed by pro-Gbagbo and pro-Ouattara forces, including murder, rape, enforced disappearance, imprisonment, pillage, torture and intentionally directing attacks against civilians.

Pre-Trial Chamber III also requested the Prosecutor to revert to the Chamber within one month with any additional information that is available to him on potentially relevant crimes committed between 2002 and 2010. The Prosecutor complied with this request on 3 November 2011. The Chamber is now considering whether or not to grant authorisation to the Prosecutor to investigate crimes committed between 2002 and 2010.

The International Criminal Court is an independent, permanent court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole, namely the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.

Warrant of arrest for Laurent Koudou Gbagbo

Decision Pursuant to Article 15 of the Rome Statute on the Authorisation of an Investigation into the Situation in the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire

Q&A on the case against Laurent Koudou Gbagbo

ICC Detention Centre
For further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Spokesperson and Head of Public Affairs Unit, International Criminal Court, by telephone at: +31 (0)70 515-9152 or +31 (0)6 46448938 or by e-mail at: fadi.el-abdallah@icc-cpi.int.
 
Gbagbo asomewa mashtaka kwenye mahakama ya kimataifa Hague (ICC)
06gbagbo_cnd-popup.jpg Laurent Gbagbo, center, the former Ivory Coast leader, appeared at the International Criminal Court on Monday.Pool photo by Peter Dejong

*Nilidanganywa na walioniteka
*Hii ni mahakama ya ukoloni mamboleo
*Niko tayari kupinga na kuusambaratisha ushahidi dhidi yangu
*Sarkozy alipika njama za kunipindua
*Pande zote mbili (yaani pamoja na kambi ya Ouattara) zilivunja sheria za kimataifa

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: December 5, 2011 at 10:57 AM ET

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Ivory Coast's ex-president appeared at the International Criminal Court on Monday, the first former head of state to face judges at the world's first permanent war crimes court. Laurent Gbagbo vowed to fight the charges against him.

Gbagbo, 66, was calm and smiled at supporters in the public gallery as the 25-minute hearing opened. He told judges he did not need them to read the charges. Gbagbo was extradited to the Netherlands last week to face accusations his supporters committed murder and rape as he rejected an election result and tried to cling to power.

Ex-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and Liberian leader Charles Taylor were also sent to The Hague for trial, but both faced temporary, ad hoc tribunals — Milosevic at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and Taylor at the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Gbagbo is the first to be tried at the ICC, which started work in 2002. Together, the cases are ushering in a new era in which heads of state no longer enjoy impunity.

"In the past, if you were a head of state you could commit massive atrocities and nothing would happen," Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said. "This era is gone."

Prosecutors say about 3,000 people died in violence by both sides after Gbagbo refused to concede. President Alassane Ouattara took power in April with the help of French and U.N. forces.

The former president, speaking in French, said he wanted to see the evidence against him.

"I will challenge that evidence and then you hand down your judgment," he told the three-judge panel.

Gbagbo also complained about his arrest by opposition forces backed by French troops in April, saying he saw his son beaten and his interior minister killed in the fighting. "I was the president of the republic and the residence of the president of the republic was shelled," he said.

He also complained about his transfer to The Hague last week from northern Ivory Coast where he was under house arrest. "We were deceived," he said, adding the official in charge of his transfer "did not have the courage to tell me I was going to The Hague."

Monday's brief hearing was to confirm Gbagbo's identity and ensure that he understood his rights and the charges. According to court papers, Gbagbo is charged as an "indirect perpetrator" in a carefully orchestrated campaign of violence against supporters of Ouattara.

Presiding judge Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi of Argentina scheduled a hearing for June 18 where prosecutors will present a summary of their evidence and judges will decide whether it is strong enough to merit bringing Gbagbo's case to trial. Before that, judges will schedule interim status conferences to discuss progress in the case. Gbagbo could challenge his detention at such a conference and seek to be released pending further hearings.

Even before Gbagbo was led into the courtroom, his lawyers called his arrest and transfer to the court French "neocolonialism."

"It's a neocolonialist trial," Gbagbo's adviser Toussaint Alain told reporters in The Hague. "The (ICC) has become an instrument of France ... to empower friends and punish the ones who don't follow along."

Gbagbo's lawyer Habiba Toure also challenged the legitimacy of the Gbagbo's detention last week on an ICC warrant while he was under house arrest.

"In principal, an arrest warrant is delivered to a free individual or a person on the run, which was not the case for Mr. Gbagbo because he was already in the hands of Ivory Coast officials," Toure said.

A handful of supporters outside court also condemned France's role in his ouster. "This is a masquerade by French President Nicolas Sarkozy," said Abel Naki, who traveled from Paris to be at the court. "Sarkozy orchestrated this coup d'etat."

The protesters' anger underscored lingering tensions between Gbagbo and Ouattara supporters in Ivory Coast.

Moreno-Ocampo, stressed last week that both sides of the political divide in Ivory Coast committed crimes in the postelection chaos and that his investigation was continuing.

Human rights groups say grave abuses also were committed by forces loyal to Ouattara, who enlisted the help of a former rebel group to force Gbagbo from office.

Gbagbo is the sixth suspect taken into custody by the court, which has launched seven investigations, all of them in Africa. A further 12 suspects remain at large and the court has no police force to arrest them.

-NY Times
 
Jerry Rawlings flays ICC over Gbagbo detention.
December 06, 2011

ACCRA,(Xinhua) -- African Union (AU)'s Special Envoy on Somalia and former Ghanaian President Jerry John Rawlings attacked the International Criminal Court on Monday for the "capture" of former Cote d'Ivoire president Laurent Gbagbo.

Gbagbo, 66, was flown to the Hague last Wednesday at the request of the ICC to answer charges of "economic crimes" allegedly committed during the political crisis and conflict triggered by his refusal to hand over power, which sparked the deadly post-election conflict.

Rawlings, in his characteristic straight-forward manner, denounced the ICC, saying the hasty procedure could be rightfully described as abduction.

In a statement issued on his web blog, the former Ghanaian leader said his suspicion had grown even more when the prosecuting attorney, claiming to be targeting six officials in Cote d'Ivoire, "unduly focuses on Gbagbo, the one who is least likely to escape," since he was already in custody.

This eagerness to indict and transfer Gbagbo, who did not run in the face of the bombing of his palace like a common criminal, defied logic and the quest for true reconciliation and sustainable peace in Cote d'Ivoire, he said.

He wondered why after 50 years of independence, Africa did not have the know-how to bring justice to its own citizens and do away with imported justice.

"What kind of prosecution would rather be in haste to bring to justice the victim of an attack, and be lenient on the perpetrator of the attack?" he quipped.

He explained that "no one is trying to evade justice. But when such justice is drenched in a sea of humiliation and abuses, so as to be governed by self-righteous hatred with its untenable logic, it only befits human conscience to stand up against it for the good of all."
 
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