Mali: 69 soldiers appear before military court, facing several criminal charges

The Mopti Military Court opened a session in Sévaré on October 19, scheduled to run through October 29. It is hearing 43 cases involving 72 defendants, including 69 soldiers and three civilians. The cases include losses, misappropriation, theft and trafficking of weapons, as well as desertion; three criminal cases involve assassination, torture and unlawful confinement, murder, and pedophilia. Prosecutor Seba Lamine Koné said desertion is the second most frequent group of offenses among the correctional cases.