Burkina Faso to request for Blaise Compaore's extradition

Burkina Faso says it will soon file a request to Ivorian authorities for the extradition of former president Blaise Compaore.

The former President is the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by Burkina Faso for his alleged role in the death of Thomas Sankara

The announcement was made by Norbert Koudougou, government commissioner to the military court during a press conference in Ouagadougou on Wednesday.

“This request for extradition may be refused if necessary,” warned Colonel Sangaré, one of the organizers of the press conference.

In Burkina Faso, murder is punishable by death. For this reason, Ivory Coast could refuse to extradite Compaore. The former President has been in exile in Ivory Coast since October 2014.

Koudougou says to date, 12 people have already been charged in connection with Sankara’s killing.