Prosecutors in Madagascar said Thursday that 13 people, including a general, were facing legal proceedings for their alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate the island nation's interim head of state, Colonel Michael Randrianirina.
Randrianirina took power in October following youth-led protests that forced his predecessor, Andry Rajoelina , to resign.
Prosecutor Narindra Navalona Rakotoniaina said 11 suspects had been detained and arrest warrants had been issued for others in connection with the alleged plot to assassinate the 52-year-old leader.
"It should be noted that senior officers are among those involved in this case, including a general who has already spoken publicly and expressed his intention to participate in a coup ," she said.
Ms. Rakotoniaina did not name the general, but indicated that Colonel Patrick Rakotomamonjy was among those who had "conceived and organized" the operation. Mr. Rakotomamonjy held a director position at the presidency until his dismissal in January.
Investigators uncovered WhatsApp messages exchanged between the suspects, and some admitted that funds from their accounts had been used to finance the plot, the prosecutor said.
The searches also uncovered large sums of money and weapons at the suspects' homes.
This alleged plot comes amid political upheaval, after massive protests against water and electricity shortages forced former president Rajoelina to flee the country.
Randrianirina, whose military unit supported the protesters, has pledged to hold elections by the end of 2027, although his first government drew criticism for including figures from the political elite.
In March, he announced the formation of a new government after dissolving his cabinet earlier in the month, still without including representatives of the Gen Z youth movement that had helped to overthrow Rajoelina.
