Police in Bamako, the capital of Mali, on April 30, 2012 foiled attempts by angry students, who are members of the Association of Malian Pupils and Students, from burning down Radio Kayira, a privately-owned radio station located in Koutiala, a town 400km from the capital. The students, who had accused the owner of the radio station, Oumar Mariko, a former student leader for masterminding an assassination attempt on their leader, Hamadoun Traoré, allegedly destroyed some broadcasting equipment worth about FCFA 18million (about US$ 3,571,950), and stole more than FCFA 2million (about US$ 398,556) in cash.
The Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) correspondent reported that at the time of the attack, the radio station was off air due to power outage and all the members had gone home. The correspondent said that Napo Mariko, a staff at the radio station expressed surprise at the behaviour of the students since he said the station has always supported their (students) cause.
On the night of April 22 there was a reported assassination attempt on the life of Hamadoun Traoré, General Secretary of the Association of Malian Pupils and Students in which the students accused the radio station’s owner of being the brain behind the attack.
For more information please contact:
Kwame Karikari (Prof)
Executive Director
MFWA
Accra
Tel: 233-30-22 4 24 70
Fax: 233-302-22 10 84
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Website: www.mediafound.org
