In Mali, six men associated with former transitional president Bah N'Daw have appeared before the Bamako Court of Appeal on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, facing charges related to an alleged coup plot. Among the defendants are former security chief Colonel Kassoum Goïta and ex-presidency secretary-general Kalilou Doumbia, who served during Mali’s first transitional period between the August 2020 coup and the second in May 2021.

The six men are accused of conspiring against the government, although authorities have not specified the exact nature of their alleged actions. The defendants claim they were abducted, tortured, and detained for nearly five years. Their lawyers describe the trial as their first significant opportunity to contest the charges and argue that the case is politically motivated, targeting allies of Bah N'Daw.

In a related development, the defence filed a complaint in December 2021 against the current security chief, General Modibo Koné.

Bah N'Daw is expected to be sworn in as transitional president at a ceremony in Bamako in September 2026.

Sources