Police disperse supporters of Burundi strongman
Source: Reuters
BUJUMBURA, May 9 (Reuters) - Burundi police wielding batons dispersed about 200 protesters demonstrating outside the High Court on Wednesday in support of a former ruling party chairman accused of trying to destabilise the central African country. At least two people were hurt as Hussein Radjabu appeared before prosecutors. He denies charges he was working against the government, which he says were fabricated by intelligence services. Radjabu's lawyer, Prosper Niyoyankana, told Reuters his client listened to evidence from two prosecution witnesses during the closed-door session, but gave no other details. Radjabu, who returned to the capital Bujumbura's main jail after the hearing, was arrested on April 27. He was ousted as boss of the ruling CNDD-FDD party in February, and several of his allies have also since been dismissed from the government. CNDD-FDD came under scrutiny last year after it said it had uncovered a plot to topple President Pierre Nkurunziza. The party denies allegations it invented the plot to quash dissent. Emerging from more than a decade of ethnic war that killed 300,000 people, Burundi was seen as an African success story. But claims of corruption and rights abuses have clouded that.
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