DATE=5/19/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249579
TITLE= FRANCE MERCENARY (L-UPDATE)
BYLINE=JULIAN NUNDY
DATELINE=PARIS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: BOB DENARD, A FAMOUS FRENCH MERCENARY SOLDIER, HAS WON
ACQUITTAL ON CHARGES THAT HE MURDERED A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE
COMORO ISLANDS. MR. DENARD WAS DECLARED INNOCENT BY A JURY IN
PARIS LATE WEDNESDAY. FROM THE FRENCH CAPITAL, JULIAN NUNDY
REVIEWS TESTIMONY IN THE TRIAL.
TEXT: UNDER HIS REAL NAME OF GILBERT BOURGEAUD, THE MAN BETTER
KNOWN AS "BOB DENARD" SPENT JUST OVER TWO WEEKS ON TRIAL IN
PARIS, OFTEN BLINKING BACK TEARS BEHIND LARGE DARK GLASSES AS
WITNESSES SPOKE IN HIS DEFENSE.
THERE WAS THE DAY THAT THE CHILDREN FROM HIS SEVEN MARRIAGES --
AND EVEN SOME OF THE EX-WIVES -- TESTIFIED. THEY ALL AGREED THAT
BOB DENARD, WHO IS NOW 70, IS A KIND AND CARING FATHER AND
HUSBAND. THE MERCENARY CONVERTED ONCE TO JUDAISM, TWICE TO ISLAM
AND BACK TO CHRISTIANITY FOR HIS VARIOUS MARRIAGES.
THERE WERE SENIOR FRENCH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO TESTIFIED,
INCLUDING A FORMER CABINET MINISTER AND MEMBER OF FRANCE'S
ESPIONAGE SERVICE. THEY STATED THAT MR. DENARD'S ACTIONS IN AT
LEAST 18 COUPS D'ETAT ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT OFTEN SERVED
FRANCE'S TRADITIONALLY INTERVENTIONIST AFRICA POLICY. REFLECTING
ON THIS, THE SELF-STYLED "COLONEL" DENARD ONCE DESCRIBED HIMSELF
AS "A PIRATE OF THE REPUBLIC."
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WITNESSES WAS A BALLISTICS EXPERT
CALLED BY THE COURT. HE SAID EVIDENCE THAT MR. DENARD WHO PULLED
THE TRIGGER AND KILLED COMORAN PRESIDENT AHMED ABDALLAH IN 1989
IS INCONCLUSIVE. IN ADDITION, NO AUTOPSY WAS CARRIED OUT,
MEANING THAT CRUCIAL CLUES WERE LOST.
MR. DENARD HAD ALREADY BEEN LIVING IN THE FORMER
FRENCH-CONTROLLED INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS FOR 11 YEARS, AND WAS
CREDITED WITH DEPOSING PRESIDENT ABDALLAH ONCE BEFORE, AND THEN
BRINGING HIM BACK TO POWER.
MR. DENARD AND TWO CO-DEFENDANTS WERE ACCUSED OF SHOOTING THE
PRESIDENT [AT A TIME] WHEN THE FRENCH MERCENARY WAS THE HEAD OF
THE PRESIDENTIAL GUARD. THEY DENY THIS, SAYING THE PRESIDENT WAS
KILLED WHEN A BODYGUARD OPENED FIRE. THE BODYGUARD WAS ALSO
KILLED IN THE INCIDENT.
SUMMING UP, THE PROSECUTION CALLED FOR A JAIL SENTENCE OF UP TO
15 YEARS FOR MR. DENARD, WHO WAS ONE OF THE HEROES IN THE BRITISH
WRITER FREDERICK FORSYTHE' NOVEL, "THE DOGS OF WAR" (BASED ON THE
WAR IN BIAFRA 30 YEARS AGO).
THE PROSECUTOR SAID EVIDENCE HAD BEEN HIDDEN OR DESTROYED. HE
SAID THE DEFENSE ARGUMENTS AMOUNTED TO "A GROTESQUE VAUDEVILLE,
WORTHY OF MACHIAVELLI OR SHAKESPEARE AND REVISITED BY AGATHA
CHRISTIE."
WHATEVER THE FINAL VERDICT, THE PROSECUTOR SAID MR. DENARD'S
HONOR HAS BEEN TARNISHED. AT THIS, THE DEFENDANT WIPED AWAY
ANOTHER TEAR BEHIND HIS DARK GLASSES. (SIGNED)
OPTIONAL OUTRO: THE PARIS JURY DELIVERED ITS "NOT GUILTY"
VERDICT WEDNESDAY, HOURS AFTER CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN THE TWO-WEEK
TRIAL.
NEB/JWN/PCF/PLM/WTW
19-May-99 3:40 PM EDT (1940 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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