The prosecutor general’s office in Madagascar has said it foiled an assassination attempt on President Andry Rajoelina, and arrested several “foreign and Malagasy” suspects.
According to AFP, two French people are among several arrested in the Indian Ocean island nation on Tuesday “as part of an investigation for undermining state security”, diplomatic sources said.
“Several foreign and Madagascar nationals were arrested on Tuesday, July 20, as part of an investigation into an attack on state security,” said prosecutor Berthine Razafiarivony, in a statement released overnight.
“At this stage of the investigation, which is ongoing, the prosecutor-general’s office assures we will shed light in on this case,” she added.
During the country’s Independence Day celebrations on June 26, the gendarmerie announced that they had foiled an assassination attempt on their boss who is also the president’s right-hand man, General Richard Ravalomanana.
Several people arrested over foiled plot to kill president
“Several foreign and Madagascar nationals were arrested on Tuesday, July 20, as part of an investigation into an attack on state security,” prosecutor Berthine Razafiarivony said in a statement released overnight.
There was “a plan to eliminate and neutralise various Madagascan figures, including the head of state,” Razafiarivony said.
“At this stage of the investigation, which is ongoing, the prosecutor-general’s office assures we will shed light in on this case,” she added.
Two French nationals are among those who were arrested on Tuesday, diplomatic sources told AFP.
During the country’s Independence Day celebrations on June 26, the gendarmerie announced that they had foiled an assassination attempt on their boss, General Richard Ravalomanana, who is also Rajoelina’s right-hand man.
Rajoelina, 47, first seized power in March 2009 from Marc Ravalomanana with the backing of the military.
The country has been under a lockdown since the Covid-19 pandemic hit last year and its southern region is in the grips of a famine.
Rajoelina had in April last year had launched COVID-19 herbal medication and cure, Covid-Organics, despite warning by the World Health Organisation, WHO, that there was no cure yet for coronavirus.
Rajoelina, displaying a bottle of the medication, Covid-Organics
The herbal medicine, developed by Malagasy Institute of Applied Research and branded COVID-Organics, contains Artemisia– a plant on the Island used in the fight against malaria.
Rajoelina had said, “All trials and tests have been conducted and its effectiveness in reducing the elimination of symptoms have been proven for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 in Madagascar.”
The president also shared that the medicine had cured two COVID-19 cases.
He had said: “The COVID-Organics will be distributed free of charge to our most vulnerable compatriots and sold at very low prices to others. All profits will be donated to IMRA to finance scientific research,” the president wrote on Twitter.
“I’m convinced that, in fact, history will prove us, but today there are already two cases that have been cured with the COVID-organics, but we’ll actually see what happens next.”
“COVID Organics will be used in profilaxis, i.e. preventive, but clinical observations have shown a trend towards its effectiveness in curative, other clinical studies are currently underway,” he stressed at the launch.
