Investigation Ordered by Guinea’s Junta into Former President Conde’s Alleged Treason

Harare — Guinea’s Justice Minister Alphonse Wright announced an investigation into former president Alpha Conde’s alleged involvement in treason, two years after he was overthrown by the military in a coup, Al Jazeera reports.

The public prosecutor reportedly received a letter from Wright, requesting that the new authorised investigation look into “alleged acts of treason, criminal conspiracy and complicity in the illicit possession of arms and ammunition.”

Conde who was Guinea’s first democratically elected leader, was ousted by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya’s special army squad in September 2021. The coup followed Conde’s attempt to prolong his ten-year rule by a third term in office, during which he brutally put down demonstrations opposing the proposed election. Since then, Conde has been the subject of many legal investigations by Guinea’s military authorities, including allegations of corruption, rape, kidnapping, torture, and assassination.

Coups took place in a number of west and central African governments recently, including Guinea. Between 2020 and 2023, there was at least one coup in Gabon, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

Meanwhile, the commanders of the Guinean military pledged to return the country to civilian rule by 2026.

Conde is currently living in exile in Turkey.