Ex Congolese army general jailed for breaching internal security

Lawyer for the former army general in the Republic of Congo, Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko says his client has been jailed in the capital, Brazzaville.

Mokoko was jailed after being charged with “breaching internal state security and the illegal possession of weapons of war and ammunitions.

He was detained on Tuesday for questioning by security services.

The former army general had been grilled prior to the March 20 poll over a viral video in which he spoke about plans to overthrow the incumbent president, Denis Sassou Nguesso.

Congo opposition candidate General Mokoko calling for a popular uprising https://t.co/ZvplVg0T3G pic.twitter.com/aECbdnl7nq

— africanews (@africanews) March 24, 2016

He has since been under surveillance at his home in Brazzaville

Mokoko ran unsuccessfully against Sassou Nguesso in the March presidential election.

The one-time army chief of the oil-rich central African nation, won less than 14 percent of the total votes cast in the March election according to the official results.

Incumbent Denis Sassou Nguesso thus clinched another five year term in office with more than 60 percent of the votes cast.

AFP