Bamako police foiled angry students' attempts to burn down Radio Kayira, a privately-owned radio station.
(MFWA/IFEX) – May 9, 2012 – 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 400 km from the capital.
The students, who had accused the owner of the radio station, Oumar Mariko, a former student leader, of masterminding an assassination attempt on their leader, Hamadoun Traoré, allegedly destroyed some broadcasting equipment worth about FCFA 18 million (about US$3,571,950), and stole more than FCFA 2 million (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 a power outage and all the members had gone home.
The correspondent said that Napo Mariko, a staff person at the radio station, expressed surprise at the behaviour of the students since he said the station has always supported their 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 brains behind the attack.
