Africa-Press. New developments have emerged in Côte d’Ivoire in the fallout from the case of U.S. billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, after documents were disclosed indicating years-long links between him and Nina Keita, a niece of Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara and deputy director general of the state-owned company responsible for managing oil stocks.
According to documents issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, Nina Keita was in contact for years with Epstein, who was convicted in 2008 in cases involving the grooming of minors.
The information suggests she facilitated his visits to Abidjan and his meetings with government officials in 2011 and 2012. It also states that she met at least one 25-year-old woman in Paris in 2011.
Drissa Bamba, head of the Ivorian Human Rights Movement, called for the messages exchanged between Keita and Epstein to be examined to determine the nature of the relationship, stressing that the alleged facts require a judicial investigation while respecting the presumption of innocence.
In the same context, Willy Neth of the Ivorian Human Rights League warned against shaping public opinion ahead of a court ruling, noting that internationally linked cases can quickly turn—through social media—into a premature conviction, and that media commotion should be avoided as it could affect the course of the investigation.
People close to Nina Keita say she prefers not to comment at this time on what is being circulated.
