Gbagbo Ally Appears In Court

Justin Kone Katinan

Officers of the Bureau of National Investigations Friday produced Justin Kone Katinan, a key ally to former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo at the Human Rights Division of the Fast Track High Court in Accra.

This followed a court order issued last Tuesday directing the BNI to produce Mr Katinan, who has been in custody since August 24, 2012.

Mr Katinan was picked by security personnel at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on August 24, following a request from the Ivorian government for him to be extradited to face prosecution for alleged economic crimes he committed during the post-election violence in Cote d’Ivoire.

At the Human Rights Court’s sitting in Accra Friday, Mr Katinan, wearing a dark suit and a pink neck tie, sipped water occasionally.

The court, presided over Justice Kofi Essel-Mensah, said he had received an affidavit in opposition to the application for habeas corpus which prayed the court to order the BNI to produce Mr Katinan.

The application, which was filed on his behalf by his lawyer, Mr Patrick Sogbodjor is expected to be moved on September 5, 2012.

The judge said he needed time to study the attached documents which were voluminous.

Mr Sogbodjor indicated that he had also filed a response to the affidavit in opposition.

The state was represented by a Chief State Attorney, Mrs Merley Wood and a Principal State Attorney, Mrs Yvonne Attakorah-Obuobisa.

On August 24, 2012, Mr Katinan was picked up together with Ms Lucie Bourchouymieux, an Ivorian lawyer, shortly on arrival from Johannesburg, South Africa.

Ms Bourchouymieux was, however, released but Mr Katinan has since been detained at the Greater Regional BNI Offices.

Mr Katinan fled to Ghana after the collapse of Laurent Gbagbo’s regime.

His arrest on Friday, August 24, 2012, in Ghana, was under an August 2011 warrant issued by the Ivorian authoritie.