The Language of Justice: when the colonial past is invited into the courtroom

In courts throughout Burkina Faso only French is admitted for all communication, a heritage left over from colonial times. Since the vast majority of defendants cannot use French fluently, they need an interpreter. Interpretation has a long history in Africa, but the interpreter's role has never been as vaguely defined as it is today. The use of French, which has "invited" itself into the courtrooms of Burkina Faso, will be analyzed here as a continuation of a colonial past and the astounding return of a well-known literary figure.