Madagascar's leader sentenced to 4 years
Added |2009, June
A Malagasy court has today sentenced the ousted leader Marc Ravalomanana to four years in jail in absentia for alleged abuse of state resources, local reports have revealed. The sentence could complicate the progressing negotiations to reintroduce democracy on Madagascar...
 Mr Ravalomanana purchased a presidential jet from the Disney group for US$ 60 million in 2008.
Local news reports cited the transitional administration's Justice Minister Christine Razanamahasoa saying the former leader was slapped with the four years in prison and a US$ 70 million fine.
Mr Ravalomanana, who is reportedly in South Africa seeking support to go back home, was issued a warrant of arrest by the new administration under the leadership of Andry Rajoelina accusing him of confusing the state with one of his private companies.
Mr Rajoelina's army-backed takeover was widely condemned by international communities describing his move into the Madagascar’s leadership as a coup. Malagasy constitution states that Mr Rajoelina, 35, is too young to run for presidency.
The new slap in the face of ex-President Ravalomanana in the form of a prison sentence comes as the current Malagasy government negotiates with opposition forces about a possible way to return to the constitutional order. The UN, African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) brokered talks include the political blocks supporting current leader Rajoelina and exiled ex-Presidents Ravalomanana, Didier Ratsiraka and Zafy Albert.
According to the Malagasy government, the three ex-leaders and their political parties have been granted a possibility to participate in national elections if they agree to a proposed transitional charter and a general political amnesty.
The independent daily Antananarivo-based newspaper L'Express reports today that, despite little media coverage and big discretion, UN, AU and SADC mediators are involved in intensive talks to find a compromise that could lead to the holding of free and fair elections. Sources not wanting to be named told the newspaper that discussions were already moving towards the next stage, which included the composition of transitional government bodies and the extent of the amnesty. source:here
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In any case, that's probably two to three years away from actually happening. We won't have any sense of the commercial viability for some time yet," Barthe Cortes said..
