On october 15th 1987, Thomas Sankara was killed by an armed group with twelve other officials in a coup d’état; organized by his former colleague Blaise Compaoré. Sankara was a beloved leader and was famous both in Africa and the African Diaspora. He was a panafricanist, a burkinabe revolutionary and the president of burkina-faso. A known marxist, he was viewed by his people as an iconic figure of revolution, and a charismatic leader. Even till date, the ideologies of Sankara are still upheld globally by Pan-Africanist.
His death was very painful, and now, 34 years later Blaise Compaoré; the former president of Burkina Faso, who is now in exile in Ivory Coast; would be facing trial for the assassination of Sankara.
Africanews reports that; The case was referred Tuesday to the military court in Ouagadougou, after the confirmation of charges against the main defendants; including Blaise Compaoré, 34 years after the death of the “father of the revolution” Burkinabé, according to defence lawyers and civil parties.
After Gilbert Diendere, his former right-hand man was prosecuted for complicity in murder; handling corpses and attack on state security.
The former president who was ousted from power by a popular uprising on October 31 2014; was caught up in the case that he himself had filed away during his 27 years in power.
Exiled in Côte d’Ivoire since his fall, Compaoré is indicted for attacking state security, complicity in murder and receiving corpses in the Sankara case.
A total of 14 people are due to appear before the court in this case.
The Sankara case, long considered a taboo subject in the country of men of integrity, was reopened in 2015 with the arrival in power of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.