According to the Spokesperson of Ouattara’s government, the charges against Laurent Gbagbo in the case of the looting of the BCEAO were served to him through his lawyers.

“Contrary to what Mr. Laurent Gbagbo wants to make people believe, the charges brought against him in the case of the looting of the BCEAO were served to him through his lawyers,” stated Touré Mamadou, Minister of Youth Promotion, Professional Integration, and Civic Service, and Deputy Government Spokesperson of the Ivorian government. He made this statement following the council of ministers presided over by the Head of State, Alassane Ouattara, on Thursday, June 15, 2023, at the presidential palace in Abidjan-Plateau.

“According to the information I have, at various stages of the legal process, lawyers representing Laurent Gbagbo came to serve him with decisions and summonses, to which they responded. The problem this poses is how they were able to represent the former Head of State and respond to legal summons and hearings. Either his lawyers engaged in forgery, and in that case, Laurent Gbagbo has the right to seek justice to ascertain their intentions, or it’s a way to delay the process,” questioned Mr. Touré.

According to Touré Mamadou, “Decisions are rendered according to the principles that govern our judicial system. The second thing is that beyond the decision itself, unfortunately, we observe a selective interpretation of the 2005 law regarding the status of former presidents of the republic. If Mr. Laurent Gbagbo, from whom this law originates, had a complete understanding of the law, he would know that the same law states that offenses committed during electoral processes are not subject to the exceptional procedures for heads of state or former presidents of institutions.” According to the government spokesperson, “this means that all offenses committed during the post-electoral crisis are subject to a process without considering the status of the head of state,” and he added, “it would have been desirable for this aspect to be revealed to the public.”

The former Head of State, Laurent Gbagbo, President of the Ivorian Popular Front (PPI-CI) party, visited the annex offices of the Independent Electoral Commission in Cocody Angré 8th tranche on Thursday, June 8, 2023, to file a complaint regarding his removal from the voter list. After addressing the electoral authority to assert the existence of one of his rights, the former Head of State (2000-2010) stated that he did not recognize the allegations of the looting of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). “After a trial that judged me for allegedly robbing the BCEAO, I vehemently refute such an accusation. Throughout my life, I have always worked to ensure that I have no shame in my criminal record.”

Laurent Gbagbo supported his argument by stating that he was the President of the Republic from 2000 to April 2011 and that the trial of a former head of state follows specific procedures. “I am Laurent Gbagbo, President of the Republic from October 2000 to April 2011. You don’t just judge a former president in any way and before any jurisdiction. There is a procedure for implicating and trying a former president of the Republic and former presidents of institutions. It’s a law from 2005.” And he concluded, “I don’t know why I was judged; no one summoned me because for there to be a trial, the accused is contacted and handed a summons.”

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