PARIS: A French court on Wednesday approved the extradition of the brother of Burkina Faso's ousted leader Blaise Compaore to face prosecution in his homeland over the murder of a journalist.

Francois Compaore, who was arrested in Paris in October last year over the 1998 killing of investigative journalist Norbert Zongo in Burkina Faso, could still challenge the decision by the Court of Appeal in a higher court.

He was one of the most disliked figures in the regime of Blaise Compaore, who was ousted in a popular revolt in October 2014 after trying to change the constitution to extend his 27-year grip on power.

Francois Compaore is wanted on charges of "inciting the death" of Zongo and three companions, whose charred bodies were found in a burnt-out car in the south of the country in December 1998.

Zongo's family have long accused Francois Compaore of having had a hand in the killings, which triggered mass protests in Burkina Faso and drew international condemnation.

Compaore's lawyers argued against his extradition saying the charges he faces do not exist in France and warned he could face the death penalty.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Press), 2018
 

 

 

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