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Ivory Coast judge says Gbagbo trial can happen without her

By AFP
16 November 2016   |   3:24 pm
The trial of Ivory Coast's former first lady Simone Gbagbo for crimes against humanity can proceed without her, a judge ruled Wednesday following her failure to appear in court.
Ivorian first lady Simone Gbagbo (L), flanked by her lawyer Didier Rodrigue, gesturing as she enters the courthouse for her trial. Gbagbo refused to appear in court and her trial will continue without her and with state-appointed lawyers, announced the President of the Abidjan Assize Court, judge Boiqui Kouadjo, on November 16, 2016. Gbagbo is trialed for crimes against prisoners of war, crimes against the civilian population and crimes against humanity during post-election carnage in 2010, in a trial that opened on May 31, 2016 and that many see as a litmus case for justice in the West African country. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOU

Ivorian first lady Simone Gbagbo (L), flanked by her lawyer Didier Rodrigue, gesturing as she enters the courthouse for her trial.<br />Gbagbo refused to appear in court and her trial will continue without her and with state-appointed lawyers, announced the President of the Abidjan Assize Court, judge Boiqui Kouadjo, on November 16, 2016. Gbagbo is trialed for crimes against prisoners of war, crimes against the civilian population and crimes against humanity during post-election carnage in 2010, in a trial that opened on May 31, 2016 and that many see as a litmus case for justice in the West African country. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOU

The trial of Ivory Coast’s former first lady Simone Gbagbo for crimes against humanity can proceed without her, a judge ruled Wednesday following her failure to appear in court.

A row over high-profile witnesses has hobbled proceedings against Gbagbo, wife of ex- president Laurent Gbagbo who was forced from power in 2011 by forces loyal to the incumbent Alassane Ouattara.

Simone Gbagbo is accused of involvement in the shelling of Abobo, a northern suburb of the capital Abidjan, which was a Ouattara stronghold, and of being a member of a “crisis cell” that allegedly coordinated attacks by the armed forces and militias in support of Gbagbo.

She is already serving a 20-year sentence for “endangering state security”.

Her lawyers have argued that the crimes against humanity trial, which began in May, cannot continue unless witnesses including parliament’s speaker, a former prime minister and a former army chief appear.

They have failed to turn up at previous hearings and have been criticised by Gbagbo’s lawyers.

But judge Boiqui Kouadjo said the case would continue regardless — without Gbagbo — with court appointed lawyers representing her. The next hearing will be on November 28.

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