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Gbagbo can go! ICC upholds acquittal of Ivory Coast ex-president

Ivory Coast's former president Laurent Gbagbo

The International Criminal Court sitting in The Hague has upheld the acquittal of Ivory Coast’s former president Laurent Gbagbo, the first head of state to stand trial at the tribunal.

The judgment was delivered at 3 pm (1300 GMT) by the appeals chamber of the Hague-based court.

The decision clears the way for the 75-year-old to travel back home as he has been living in Brussels pending today’s verdict.

Gbagbo and his former youth leader Charles Ble Goude were cleared of crimes against humanity in 2019 over a wave of post-election violence in the West African nation more than a decade ago.

The prosecution appealed the acquittal and subsequently applied for a retrial over the bloodshed that left over 3,000 dead after Gbagbo disputed the results of the 2010 vote.

Gbagbo refused to hand over power to Alassane Ouattara, the current president, but French troops eventually intervened and Ouattara’s loyalists drove Gbagbo from his bunker.

He was sent to the ICC in The Hague the following year.

The chamber is led by former ICC president Chile Eboe-Osuji and includes its current chief Piotr Hofmanski.

The verdict has attracted mixed reaction back home in Ivory Coast, where Gbagbo’s shadow still hangs over a nation that remains mired in political crisis.

Gbagbo was president from 2000 to 2010, a time of turmoil in the world’s top cocoa grower, formerly a haven of peace and prosperity in troubled West Africa. 

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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