The trial of 21 people, including two French people, accused of having planned to overthrow and assassinate the President of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina, began on Monday, December 6 in a tense atmosphere at the Anosy court, in the capital Antananarivo.
The public prosecutor spent a good part of the morning reading the indictment, in front of the accused seated on the right of the room, including the French Paul Rafanoharana and Philippe François - the first smiling in a midnight blue suit, shaved head up close and dark glasses, the second visibly thinner, blue eyes and drawn features, in a white shirt.
Read alsoAssassination project in Madagascar: the president wonders about the role of France
The police system is impressive: about sixty gendarmes from the special forces and police officers crisscross the room with faded yellow walls, AFP correspondents noted.
Some are in civilian clothes and carry assault rifles.
The defendants in this case, which the Malagasy justice baptized "
Apollo 21
", are being prosecuted for endangering state security, criminal conspiracy and conspiracy to assassinate the president.
They would have "
devised a plan for the elimination and neutralization of various Malagasy personalities including the head of state
", according to the general prosecutor.
"Unfair trial"
Since their arrest at the end of July, some of the accused have been placed under judicial supervision, others, including the two French, in prison under a committal warrant. “
It's an unfair trial
,” said Arlette Rafanomadio, lawyer for Paul Rafanoharana, on Saturday. "
We did not have enough time to prepare the defense strategy, with difficult access to our customers
." Or 30 minutes Friday to discuss the 400 pages of the file, she said.
Paul Rafanoharana, a Franco-Malagasy, knows President Rajoelina well, of whom he was diplomatic adviser until 2011. He presents himself, on the internet, as an adviser to the archbishopric of Antananarivo who has distanced himself, claiming not to be "
responsible for people using their name without an express mandate
".
Philippe François, former Saint-Cyrien and colonel of the French army until 2013, ran an investment company in Madagascar.
The press were allowed to attend the public hearing from a balcony but no recording, photo or video was allowed on pain of prosecution, the prosecutor warned.
