A MAN who attacked Comoros President Azali Assoumani with a knife and injured him slightly has been found dead in prison, the national prosecutor said Saturday, a day after the incident.
“He was isolated in a cell so that he could calm down yesterday after his arrest. Investigators found his lifeless body lying on the floor this morning. A doctor declared him dead,” Ali Mohamed Djounaid told a press conference.
“An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of his death,” he added.
Government spokeswoman Fatima Ahamada said Saturday that 65-year-old Assoumani was at home with his family and “doing very well”.
The attack took place during a funeral for a well-known religious leader.
The knife injured the president’s hand, but the attacker was stopped by another mourner, witnesses said.
Witnesses told AFP they saw the man in the room where well-wishers were paying their respects to the deceased.
They say the attacker injured the president’s hand in the stabbing, before being stopped by one of the mourners.
President Azali first came to power in a military coup in 1999.
After a decade out of office, he won a disputed election in 2016 and was re-elected last January.
The vote was marred by allegations of ballot stuffing and was followed by two days of deadly protests.
Azali has been accused of growing authoritarianism.
