The appeals court in Niger has ordered the release of the country’s former President Mamadou Tandja, who was ousted in a coup in February 2010.
Since then Mr Tandja, in power for 10 years, has been held, accused of misappropriating public funds.
The coup leaders were angered after he sought a third term in office
Last month, the junta officially handed power to veteran opposition leader Mahamadou Issoufou, who won a run-off election in March.
“All proceedings against Mamadou Tandja have been cancelled. He has been wholly exempted from the accusations against him,” one of his lawyers, Souley Oumarou, told the AFP news agency.
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