Ousted Mali president in hospital for checks, says source close to family
BAMAKO, Sept 2- Mali’s ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was hospitalised in the capital Bamako on Tuesday evening for an overdue check-up with his doctor, a source said, six days after he was released from detention by the country’s new military leadership. The junta is currently consulting with Mali’s political parties and civil society groups, and…
BAMAKO, Sept 2 (Reuters) – Mali’s ousted President Ibrahim
Boubacar Keita was hospitalised in the capital Bamako on Tuesday
evening for an overdue check-up with his doctor, a source said,
six days after he was released from detention by the country’s
new military leadership.
The junta allowed Keita, 75, to return home last Thursday ina attempt to court goodwill with regional states who imposedstrict sanctions on the country following his overthrow on Aug.18.
According to a deal struck with regional mediators, thejunta agreed to allow Keita, who has ongoing health issues, tosee his doctor, and if necessary, travel abroad for medicalchecks.
“He was indeed hospitalized last night for a check-up heshould have done a month and a half ago and hadn’t done,” thesource close to Keita’s family said, declining to reveal thelocation of the clinic for security reasons.
In 2016 Keita had a benign tumour removed from his neck inParis.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) hassaid it will gradually lift sanctions if the country’s newleaders transfer power to a civilian-led transitional governmentimmediately and hold elections within a year.
The junta is currently consulting with Mali’s politicalparties and civil society groups, and plan to hold a meeting onSaturday and Sunday with the various stakeholders to work out atransition plan.
Leaders of the 15-nation ECOWAS bloc will meet again onMonday to take stock on the progress to return Mali to civilianrule, and also decide whether to ease the sanctions.(Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo in Bamako; additional reporting byDavid Lewis in London; writing by Hereward Holland;Editing by Bate Felix and Giles Elgood)
