MADAGASCAR: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ATTACKING FRENCH DIPLOMAT

October 11, 2007: a criminal court in Antananarivo, Madagascar, sentenced three people to death for attacking the residence of a French diplomat two years ago. Of the three criminals, all Madagascans, only Liva Tsimianatse, nicknamed Tsimibosy, appeared before the court as the two others, including a woman, escaped the police forces and were still on the run. The police had issued an arrest warrant against the two, Etienne Patrick and Nadia Arlette, the French-language daily, L' Express, reported. They robbed the residence of an unidentified first adviser at French Embassy in Antananarivo and took with them some golden jewels, mobile phones and certain amount of foreign currencies on Jan. 22, 2005. Equipped with Kalachnikov and automatic weapons, they threatened and beat the diplomat and his guests before they escaped away. During his trial, Tsimibosy admitted his crime as the stolen jewels were found in his house. (Sources: Xinhua, 12/10/2007)