Former French army colonel Philippe François was transferred to France on Friday. He was sentenced by the Malagasy justice to 10 years of forced labor in December 2021 in the case of the alleged coup attempt against President Andry Rajoelina.
With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Sarah Tetaud
It is in the so-called “Apollo 21” affair, for coup attempt and attempted assassination of the Malagasy head of state, that French was condemned. Philippe François, 55 years old and a former senior officer in the French army converted to the private sector, was transferred this Friday morning to Reunion Island before returning to mainland France.
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This transfer was done with the utmost discretion, even though the Malagasy head of state is currently in Paris as part of the Summit for a new global financial pact. “ This is a transfer and not an extradition “Says a source familiar with the matter. THE French prisoner will therefore serve the rest of his sentence in France.
“ Even his French lawyer was unaware »
This transfer procedure is the culmination of long months of waiting and bitter discussions between Paris and Antananarivo. A first request had been refused last February.
Contacted, his relatives claim not to have been put in the confidence. “ I think there was a deliberate choice on the part of the French authorities not to give any information, either to the family or to its support committee. Even his French lawyer was unaware “, specifies the support committee.
In this case, the Franco-Malagasy Paul Rafanoharana presented as “the brain of the plot” who had been sentenced to 20 years of forced labor, and his wife, also Franco-Malagasy, have so far not benefited from this procedure. of transfer.