Brothers of Togo leader appear in court for 'coup plot'

LOME (AFP) - Two half-brothers of Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe along with 30 others appeared in court for the first time Thursday over an alleged 2009 coup plot, but the case was immediately suspended.

The court appearance included brief applause from supporters of Kpatcha Gnassingbe, accused of being behind the plot and one of the numerous sons of Gnassingbe Eyadema, the general who ruled the country for 38 years until his death in 2005.

Supreme Court president Abalo Petchelebia suspended the case to September 6 after a French lawyer for one of the accused, who was not present in the packed courtroom, requested in writing more time.

"The session is suspended and will reconvene on September 6," Petchelebia said.

The court appearance came more than two years after former defence minister Kpatcha Gnassingbe was arrested while trying to take refuge at the US embassy for being the alleged mastermind of the plot against his half-brother.

A second half-brother, Essolizam Gnassingbe, as well as the ex-head of the armed forces, Assani Tidjani, are also among the accused in the West African nation of some 6.7 million people.

The suspects are accused of attempted violation of state security, criminal conspiracy and rebellion, among others, and face up to life in prison.

All 32 accused were in court. They have not yet entered a plea.

Details of the alleged plot remain unclear, though at the time it was claimed that the coup was to be carried out while the president was away on a trip to China. Kpatcha Gnassingbe's house was raided by elite troops in an operation that led to a bloody gunfight.

Questions have arisen as to whether there in fact was a coup plot, with some analysts arguing that the rivalry between the president and Kpatcha Gnassingbe was strong and intensifying at the time.

Some observers say Kpatcha was ambitious and there was speculation that he was eyeing the presidency in 2010.

Kpatcha's lawyer told AFP on Thursday that he believed his client still had parliamentary immunity since he was a lawmaker at the time of his arrest and it has not been formally lifted.

Just before the start of the court hearing, Kpatcha put on the ceremonial sash worn by parliament members.

"We told him to put it on because his parliamentary immunity has not been lifted," his lawyer Zeus Ajavon told AFP.

Faure Gnassingbe was installed in the presidency by the army shortly after the announcement of his father's death in 2005. He has since won elections in 2005 and 2010.