Man Who Attacked Comoros President with a Knife Found Dead in Cell

A man who attacked the President Azali Assoumani of Comoros, with a knife on Friday has been found dead in a prison cell.

Comoros presidential spokeswoman, Fatima Ahmadal, had told the media that  “The head of state was the victim of an attack in Salimani-Itsandra,” an area on the outskirts of the country’s  capital Moroni.

The president was attending the funeral of a popular religious leader when a man whose name has been concealed, but identified as a gendarme who was recruited in 2022 attacked him with a knife. However, the attacker was quickly taken down by other mourners and was subsequently arrested and taken to a police detention facility.

However, speaking to the media on Saturday, a senior government official, Ali Mohamed Djounaid revealed that the attacker was found dead in his cell.

Ali Mohamed Djounaid  said:

“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.”

“An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of his death.”

Though the attack on the president was “not serious” or “life threatening” Mr. Azali Assoumani  was rushed to a military hospital in the capital Moroni before being transferred to the presidential residence in Beit-Salam.