Mwanamkiwi
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- Mar 7, 2019
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Nauliza tu: Baina Tanzania na Benin, nani alibuni mbinu huu, nani alikopi ???
Benin opposition leader Reckya Madougou has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for terrorism by a special court in the capital Porto-Novo, following a brief trial that her lawyers condemned as a "political attack".
After more than 20 hours of hearings, Madougou was found guilty of "complicity in terrorist acts" by the Economic Crime and Terrorism Court, which on Tuesday sentenced another key opposition figure to 10 years.
Critics say the court, set up in 2016, has been used by President Patrice Talon's regime to crack down on the opposition and pushed Benin into authoritarianism.
Speaking before her prison sentence was announced, Madougou said: "This court has deliberately decided to penalise an innocent person."
"I have never been and I will never be a terrorist," the 47-year-old former justice minister added.
Madougou was one of several opposition leaders banned from running in an election in April in which Talon won a second term with 86 percent of the vote.
She was arrested in the economic capital Cotonou in March -- just weeks before the election -- accused of financing an operation to assassinate political figures to prevent the vote, in an alleged bid to "destabilise" the country.
www.rfi.fr
Benin opposition leader Reckya Madougou has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for terrorism by a special court in the capital Porto-Novo, following a brief trial that her lawyers condemned as a "political attack".
After more than 20 hours of hearings, Madougou was found guilty of "complicity in terrorist acts" by the Economic Crime and Terrorism Court, which on Tuesday sentenced another key opposition figure to 10 years.
Critics say the court, set up in 2016, has been used by President Patrice Talon's regime to crack down on the opposition and pushed Benin into authoritarianism.
Speaking before her prison sentence was announced, Madougou said: "This court has deliberately decided to penalise an innocent person."
"I have never been and I will never be a terrorist," the 47-year-old former justice minister added.
Madougou was one of several opposition leaders banned from running in an election in April in which Talon won a second term with 86 percent of the vote.
She was arrested in the economic capital Cotonou in March -- just weeks before the election -- accused of financing an operation to assassinate political figures to prevent the vote, in an alleged bid to "destabilise" the country.
Benin opposition leader Madougou sentenced to 20 years in prison
Benin opposition leader Reckya Madougou has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for terrorism by a special court in the capital Porto-Novo, following a brief trial that her lawyers condemned as a "political…