Burkina Faso Ex-Coup Leader Charged

Burkina Faso's coup leader general Gilbert Diendere waits on September 23, 2015 at Ouagadougou International airport to welcome six leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) who are arriving to oversee the formal re-installation of interim President Michel Kafando following a coup d'etat by General Diendere.

The leader of September's short-lived coup in Burkina Faso has been charged with complicity in the 1987 murder of former President Thomas Sankara. Gen Gilbert Diendere is the most senior official to be charged in connection with the assassination.

Mr Sankara was murdered by a group of soldiers, but the exact circumstances of his death have remained a mystery.

BBC Africa Live report continues:

Mr Sankara - called "Africa's Che Guevara" - is a political icon for many Africans.

Mr Sankara is referred to as "Africa's Che Guevara" AFP

He was succeeded by Blaise Compaoré who stayed in power for 27 years.

Gen Diendere and Mr Compaoré were close friends and political allies of Mr Sankara at the time of his death.

During Mr Compaoré's rule the investigation into the murder made little progress.

But he has always denied being involved in the ex-leader's killing, insisting that the "facts are known" and he has "nothing to hide".

The transitional government, which took over after Mr Compaoré was overthrown in 2014, pledged to investigate the murder.

Ten other officers have already been charged in connection with the death of Mr Sankara.