The KORAG (Collective of Republican Organizations for Support to Governance) has reaffirmed its firm commitment to intensifying the fight against corruption, in line with the directives of Burkina Faso’s President, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, according to AIB.
The KORAG spokesperson, Captain Azaria Sorgho, emphasized that no individual will receive special privileges in this battle, underscoring the principle of equality before the law: « In the name of fairness, no favors will be granted to anyone, » he insisted.
KORAG also expressed its resolve to more decisively combat the impunity of judicial actors. « We will intensify the fight against corruption and the impunity of judicial actors by demanding strict adherence to ethical and professional standards, » the spokesperson clarified.
The case that has shaken the country dates back to 2021, when an investigation by the ASCE/LC (Higher Authority for State Control and the Fight Against Corruption) uncovered corrupt practices involving customs officials and judicial actors. The investigation revealed substantial sums of money held by the accused, as noted in KORAG’s press release #3, broadcast on Wednesday evening by RTB.
However, instead of punishing those responsible, second-instance judicial actors confirmed the previous dismissal of the case. But that’s not all: according to KORAG, these same judicial figures, in collusion with the accused, violated the confidentiality of the investigation by revealing the identities of the whistleblowers. « At the end of this judicial farce, the accused were able to obtain from the judges the identities of the whistleblowers as well as parts of the case file, elements that should have been protected to ensure the safety of the whistleblowers, » lamented KORAG.
Worse still, one of the customs officers involved even brought a lawsuit against one of the whistleblowers before a corrupt judge, resulting in a harsh sentence for the citizen who had attempted to reveal the truth.
« Not only did they violate a sacred principle of law, namely the protection of the whistleblower’s identity, but this individual succeeded in getting the person who dared to speak out condemned, » added KORAG.
Captain Sorgho also condemned a disinformation campaign aimed at tarnishing KORAG’s image and discrediting its actions. He warned that any attempt at corruption or the manipulation of the judiciary would be met with the utmost rigor.
In conclusion, KORAG reiterated its determination to relentlessly pursue the fight against corruption, a scourge that undermines Burkinabé society. It called on citizens to remain vigilant and thwart any attempts at manipulation that would weaken this vital struggle for the country.