National police arrested and detained Augustin Asionbo and Pamphile Gnimassou, editors in chief of the privately owned Tingo Tingo and Abito, respectively, and Hounkali, a reporter with the privately owned weekly Le Nouveau Combat, for “attacking the honour” of the president and his wife.
The arrests follow the publication in the August 6 edition of Le Nouveau Combat, of articles titled “The Widow Mrs. Bobi Mobutu Demands Mrs. Badagnaki Eyadéma Return Her 17 Trunks of Jewelry Missing in Lomé,” and “Eyadéma Fishes For a Letter of Congratulations from Chirac.” Assionbo was exonerated and released on August 8. Gnimassou was released on an unspecified date. Hounkali remains in prison.