afrol News, 26 July - The 94 Ivorian victims of the toxic waste have been denied justice in their country, but they continue the battle for justice and have now filed a case to that effect in the French judiciary.

The toxic waste resulted to the death of 16 people, hospitalised 76 and forced over 100,000 to seek for medical attention.

The French Attorney General’s office has now opened large-scale investigations into what might have been the truth story behind the August 2006 intoxication caused by the dumping of toxic waste in Abidjan. Probo Koala ship, which was chartered by Tranfigura, was said to have dumped the toxic waste in Abidjan.

Among the charges filed against the two French officials of the Dutch-based Trafigura - Claude Dauphin and Jean-Pierre Valentini, director and West Africa representative of the company, respectively - include intentional murder and corruption of state officials.

Following mounting pressures and condemnations, the officials were arrested by Ivorian authorities in September last year, but they were released five months later.

The reasons for the dumping have not been explained, fuelling speculations by the victims that the officials had been bribed to dump the fatal waste in Cote d’Ivoire.

Trafigura and the Ivorian authorities agreed to settle the dust surrounding the issue. In that the toxic dumping company had agreed to pay US $200 million as compensation. Of this amount, one third goes to victims while state enjoys two third. The victims described this as indecent and unacceptable, considering the damages caused by the intoxication.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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