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Trial of deposed Burkina Faso president set to start on Friday

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The highly anticipated trial of deposed Burkina Faso president Blaise Compaore is set to start tomorrow in the capital Ouagadougu.

But, many in the country have expressed dismay at his absence from the start of the trial.

Campaore was overthrown in a popular revolt more than two years ago.

The former president and his ministers are charged with ordering to shoot at protesters in 2014.

It’s been two years since the fall of Blaise Campaore, but locals feel nothing has changed and feel life is hard.

Even though the economy is projected to grow by 6.1 percent this year, helped by higher gold prices, blackouts and water cuts remain common.

Today, it was a turn for justice for police brutality accompanying the 2014 events.

Bullets grazed Marcel Tankoano as he and other activists stormed parliament in October 2014, sending MPs dashing for the exits as they prepared to vote a measure to allow Compaore to extend his 27-year-rule.

Like many Burkinabes, Tankoana is proud of the role he played in the poor West African country’s uprising which cost the lives of 24 protesters and it was a rare triumph of ordinary Africans over a loathed and entrenched ruler.

Tankoana says he wants the trial to bring justice, and that the people want answers.

More than 30 ministers face murder charges for allegedly authorising the use of deadly force against unarmed protesters, but Compaore remains in neighbouring Ivory Coast where he fled.

Abidjan
, a staunch Compaore ally, has declined to extradite him.

Though he has maintained a low profile in exile, Compaore still looms large over Burkina Faso.

His spy chief attempted a coup in 2015, a year after Compaore fled, and his political party came third in legislative elections later that year.

An investigation into the death of former President Thomas Sankara, a popular leader killed in 1987 during the coup that brought Compaore to power, has yet to go to trial.

– By SABC

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