Trial judges ordered the immediate release of Gbagbo and Ble Goude after their acquittals, but they have remained jailed amid wrangling over whether judges should impose conditions on their freedom or even keep them in detention if it proves impossible to release them under conditions. That has not stopped supporters in Ivory Coast hailing Gbagbo as “the messiah,” with some mentioning a possible presidential run in 2020. The acquittals of Gbagbo and Ble Goude were the latest setback for the international court. The case against Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who also was accused of involvement — before he became president — in post-election violence in his country, collapsed in December 2014. Last year a former Congolese vice-president, Jean-Pierre Bemba, was acquitted on appeal of crimes allegedly committed by his militia in neighbouring Central African Republic.

Source: National Post February 01, 2019 09:43 UTC