Guinea: Former junta leader recaptured after escaping from prison, says defence ministry

Camara's escape from prison occurred when heavily armed men attacked the Central House prison in Conakry early on Saturday, freeing him and three other high-ranking officers, according to Justice Minister Charles Wright.

The former head of Guinea's 2008 military junta, Moussa Dadis Camara, has been recaptured after escaping from prison on Saturday, CNN reported, citing the Guinea's Ministry of Defence announcement. Camara's escape from prison occurred when heavily armed men attacked the Central House prison in Conakry early on Saturday, freeing him and three other high-ranking officers, according to Justice Minister Charles Wright.

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that two of the three high-ranking officers who escaped with Camara, Moussa Tiegboro Camara and Blaise Gomou, have also been recaptured. However, the third officer, Colonel Claude Pivi, remains at large. The recaptured escapees have been returned to Maison Centrale de Conakry, a federal prison in Guinea's capital, and are reported to be "safe and sound." The Ministry of Defence emphasised that all necessary security measures have been taken to locate the remaining fugitive and urged citizens to continue their daily activities without concern.

Residents reported a significant military presence and tightened security in Conakry, with military vehicles and special forces patrolling the streets after shots were heard in the Kaloum administrative district, where Camara and the others were held on Saturday, according to CNN. Camara and others have been on trial since last year, facing charges related to a stadium massacre and mass rape allegedly orchestrated by Guinean security forces during a pro-democracy rally on September 28, 2009, in which 150 people were killed. Camara has denied responsibility, blaming the atrocities on errant soldiers.

Guinea, led by military leader Mamady Doumbouya since a 2021 coup, has experienced political instability amid a series of coups in West and Central Africa over the last three years, affecting countries such as Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Gabon. The nation's borders have been closed to prevent the escapees from leaving the country, CNN reported. (ANI)

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