Updated

Mali's chief prosecutor announced that his forensic team has discovered the remains of 21 people in a mass grave near the Kati military barracks, once the fief of the country's military strongman.

Daniel Tessougue told The Associated Press that his team began the exhumation at around 6 p.m. Tuesday and finished uncovering the remains of the 21 bodies at 3 a.m. Wednesday. The location of the mass grave matches what witnesses had said was the spot where over 20 soldiers were killed by the country's junta in May 2012. The soldiers had opposed strongman Gen. Amadou Haya Sanogo's rise to power.

Sanogo was arrested last week and charged with complicity in kidnapping. The prosecutor says now that bodies have been found, Sanogo will likely be charged with assassination.