{{The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has threatened legal action against anyone instigating violence during Guinea’s legislative polls held on Saturday.}}
Ms Fatou Bensouda’s threat comes at a time when the country’s political temperature is high following deadly clashes last week.
This is also compounded by rumours of an imminent coup d’état in reports published by a reputed French newspaper.
The Gambia-born prosecutor warned that the court will prosecute those who will directly or indirectly instigate violence throughout the voting process.
“I would like to solemnly remind the public that anyone trying to instigate violence disrupts order or help in any way to commit crimes will be prosecuted by the court,” she said in a statement on Friday.
She appealed to Guineans to remain law-abiding and conduct themselves in a peaceful manner during the voting process.
It can be recalled that scores of prodemocracy protestors were killed by the Dadis Camara-led military junta as they protested against his ambition to stick to power.
Guinea has held elections Saturday to pick 114 lawmakers in a poll earlier postponed several times since President Alpha Condé won a controversial poll in 2010.
September 28 remains a very symbolic date in the political history of Guinea since it was on that date when the late President Ahmed Sekou Touré grabbed independence from France.
To date, Guineans are very proud of Mr Touré’s slogan countering General Charles de Gaulle of France: “we prefer to live freely in poverty than to be rich in slavery,” at the time Guinea moved out the French community.
wirestory
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