Atsutsè Kokouvi Agbobli

Atsutsè Kokouvi Agbobli (23 april1941; August 15 2008) was a Togolese politician. He served in the government under President Gnassingbé Eyadéma and was the President of the Movement for National Development (MODENA), an opposition party. [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gbmz9hDe7UwZUFOzO1CB40sPVroQ "Togo: demande d'enquête après le décès d'un opposant"] , AFP, August 18, 2008 fr icon.]

Under Eyadéma, Agbobli held the posts of Minister of Communication and Minister in charge of Relations with Parliament. Subsequently, he announced in March 2007 the creation of a new opposition party, MODENA, to be launched on April 21 2007. According to Agbobli, Togolese politics was excessively dominated by two large parties, the ruling Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) and the main opposition Union of Forces for Change (UFC), and he criticized both of them. [ [http://www.republicoftogo.com/central.php?o=5&s=1&d=3&i=490 "Création d’un parti «ni-ni»"] , Republicoftogo.com, March 30, 2007 fr icon.]

Agbobli was found dead on a beach in Lomé on August 15 2008. The Ministry of Security stated on August 16 that Agbobli had attempted suicide on August 13 by ingesting a toxic substance. In order to determine the cause of death, an autopsy was ordered on August 17; on the same day, the National Commission on Human Rights called for a commission of inquiry to investigate his death, and the UFC made a similar call on August 18.

On August 18, state prosecutor Robert Baoubadi Bakaï announced on television that the autopsy results showed that Agbobli died due to "drug poisoning". According to Bakaï, the autopsy did not reveal the specific drug responsible, but he said that it "systematically ruled out the possibility of a drowning". Although Agbobli was found with marks on his forehead, this was said to have been caused by his collapse. [ [http://www.republicoftogo.com/central.php?o=2&s=1238&d=3&i=2338 "Ex-Togolese minister Agbobli 'died of poisoning'"] , Republicoftogo.com, August 21, 2008.] He was buried in his native village of Adéta in southwestern Togo on September 13. [ [http://www.republicoftogo.com/central.php?o=5&s=1&d=3&i=2437 "Inhumation d’Atsutsè Kokouvi Agbobli"] , Republicoftogo.com, September 13, 2008 fr icon.]

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