French journalist freed in Ivory Coast

A French journalist freed in Ivory Coast after 16 months in jail for "plotting against the authority of the state" headed for home late Friday, various sources said.

Jean-Paul Ney, who was released on bail on Wednesday, left on a regular flight for Paris where he was due to arrive Saturday.

A visibly relieved Ney left Abidjan's main jail on Wednesday accompanied by French consul Alain Ferre and one of his co-defendants, Modest Sery.

Ney's lawyer said the bail agreement did not place any restrictions on Ney leaving Ivory Coast.

The freelance photo-journalist was jailed in January 2008 in Abidjan along with another French national and eight west Africans after being charged with an "attack" and "plotting against the authority of the state."

He was arrested by a police patrol in December 2007 in front of the headquarters of the national RTI radio and television network.

Ney on Wednesday said he had no links whatsoever to any coup plot, and that the case against him had been manipulated.

-AFP