Armed Commandos Take Guinean Ex-Dictator From Prison

Conakry, Guinea – Former Guinean dictator Moussa Dadis Camara, who has been on trial for his involvement in a 2009 massacre, was dramatically taken from prison by a heavily armed commando during a daring operation that resulted in heavy gunfire in the capital, Conakry. The incident also saw at least two other former officials on trial alongside Dadis Camara being forcibly removed from the central prison.

Justice Minister Aphonese Charles Wright reported that the audacious operation unfolded at approximately 0500 GMT when “heavily armed men” stormed the prison, managing to escape with four prisoners, including Captain Moussa Dadis Camara. The swift operation prompted the closure of the country’s borders.

The motive behind this operation remains unclear, as it is uncertain whether Dadis Camara escaped voluntarily. The Guinean army characterized the event as an attempt to “sabotage” government reforms and expressed its “unwavering commitment” to the current authorities.

A judicial source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the masked and heavily armed soldiers who infiltrated the prison made it clear that they had come to free Captain Dadis Camara. Furthermore, it seemed that they were familiar with the layout of the prison, as they swiftly located the former leader’s cell.

Dadis Camara’s lawyer, Jocamey Haba, expressed concern for his client’s safety, stating that he believed Dadis Camara had been “kidnapped” and that his life was “in danger.” Haba emphasized Dadis Camara’s confidence in the justice system and his commitment to facing the ongoing trial.

In a surprising turn of events, Justice Minister Wright also disclosed that Colonel Moussa Tiegboro Camara, another individual taken from the prison, had been “recaptured.” However, Tiegboro Camara’s lawyer claimed that he had managed to escape from his “captors.”

The city was placed on lockdown, with the army’s chief of the general staff, General Ibrahima Sory Bangoura, describing the operation as an attempt to disrupt reforms implemented under the leadership of Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who seized power through a coup in September 2021. The army issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to these reforms.

Reports from various Guinean news sources clarified that the incident was not another coup but rather a daring attack by a heavily armed commando on the central prison. Gunfire was heard in the early hours in Kaloum, a central district housing key government and administrative offices, the military headquarters, and the main prison.

As a result of the unfolding situation, the city center remained sealed, with residents unable to enter or leave. Armored vehicles were deployed in Kaloum, affecting the normal routines of the city’s inhabitants. Additionally, no flights were reported to have taken off from Conakry’s international airport on that Saturday morning due to the disruption in the transportation network.

Guinea, a West African nation with a population of approximately 14 million, witnessed a coup in September 2021 when Colonel Doumbouya overthrew civilian president Alpha Conde. Since then, the country has been under the leadership of the junta.

Dadis Camara had been detained since September 2022 when he went on trial. He and several other former military and government officials faced charges related to a 2009 massacre carried out by security forces loyal to the then-junta leader. The trial centers on the killing of 156 people and the rape of at least 109 women during a political rally in a Conakry stadium in September 2009.

Camara and his co-defendants were charged with serious offenses, including murder, sexual violence, torture, abduction, and kidnapping. If convicted, they could face life imprisonment. The trial marked an unprecedented step in a country that had long been ruled by authoritarian regimes, with the security forces often enjoying impunity.

The trial began in September the previous year, initiated by Colonel Doumbouya, who had promised to rebuild Guinea and make justice his “compass” after his coup in 2021. Under international pressure, Doumbouya committed to transitioning to civilian rule within two years from January 2023. However, the Forces Vives de Guinee, a collective of opposition parties and organizations, raised concerns about unfulfilled commitments and an emerging authoritarian drift in Doumbouya’s junta, labeling it an “emerging dictatorship.”