A Malian transitional lawmaker arrested in Ivory Coast in early July is set to stand trial, his lawyer said on Tuesday.
Mamadou Hawa Gassama, a member of Mali’s National Transitional Council, was detained during a private visit to neighbouring Ivory Coast.
He was arrested on July 2 and placed under a detention order by Ivorian authorities, according to his legal team.
Prosecutors accuse Gassama of offending President Alassane Ouattara and spreading insulting statements online, his lawyer Mamadou Ismaila Konate said.
An investigating judge ruled on Tuesday that sufficient evidence exists for the case to proceed to a correctional court.
If convicted of defaming the head of state, Gassama faces between three months and two years in prison.
A second charge related to online remarks could add a further sentence of up to five years.
No trial date has yet been announced by the court.
The case unfolds against a backdrop of strained relations between Mali and Ivory Coast.
Tensions have simmered since military coups in Bamako in 2020 and 2021 brought General Assimi Goita to power.
President Ouattara has consistently opposed the coups that have destabilised several Sahel countries.
Gassama’s arrest follows comments he made in a September 2022 interview with Malian media.
He criticised Ouattara after ECOWAS imposed sweeping sanctions on Mali over the military takeover.
During the interview, Gassama described the Ivorian leader as “an enemy of Mali,” drawing sharp attention.
A veteran of Malian politics for three decades, Gassama is known for his blunt public statements.
He previously served as an opposition lawmaker under former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
After the junta seized power, authorities appointed him to the transitional council acting as parliament.
Mali’s government has not yet issued an official comment on his arrest or prosecution.