Côte d’Ivoire: Soro can return home, up to justice to decide over his fate – Ouattara’s administration

The Ivorian government indicated Thursday that former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro is free to return home but it is up to the justice to decide over the destiny of former rebel leader, condemned to life imprisonment in absentia for plotting and attempting to remove the administration of President Alassan Ouattara in 2019.

Soro this month announced he was ending his nearly five-year exile outside the continent. The rebel turned politician fled his country in 2019 after his plane was banned from landing.

The justice issued subsequently an international arrest warrant against him.

Soro visited this week Burkina Faso few days after paying another visit to General Abdourahamane Tiani, the new strongman of Niger.

Both countries have been having sour ties with Côte d’Ivoire.

Amadou Coulibaly, Ivorian Minister of Communication and spokesperson for the government said the former Premier is free to return to his country.

“Guillaume Soro can return whenever he wants, indeed, the country is open,” he said following a cabinet meeting.

“The application of the sentences to which Mr. Soro has been sentenced will be handled by the judicial administration of our country,” he added.

“It is the judicial administration that decides when to execute a decision that it has freely taken.”