The new authorities in Guinea have issued an international arrest warrant against former president Alpha Conde who is out of the country on compassionate grounds.
By Siddy Koundara Diallo
Conde, is facing new legal troubles as he is targeted by sanctions from the US Treasury Department for “human rights violations”.
The Minister of Justice announced that an arrest warrant will be issued against Condé who was ousted as president in September 2021.
Not outlawed
“I remain formal on this. In the name of the consistent application of the general policy of the government, an arrest warrant will be issued against Mr. Alpha Conde because he is not outlawed,” said Alphonse Charles Wright, Guinean Minister of Justice.
Conde led Guinea from 2010 to 2021 before being overthrown in a military coup on 5 September by members of the Special Forces led by current junta leader Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya.
The former president had changed the constitution in 2019 to grant himself a third term despite protests that led to a crackdown which left 99 demonstrators dead, according to the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC).
This group which brings together civil society organisations and political parties, had filed a complaint against Condé and some of his relatives through their lawyers.
On 4 May 2022, the current Minister of Justice, at the time Attorney General of the Conakry Court of Appeal, announced legal proceedings against the ousted president and 26 other officials of his regime for blood crimes committed under his rule.
Abroad in Turkey since May
The judicial procedure against Conde has remained without follow-up.
Back from a tour abroad on Monday, the Minister of Justice reiterated his willingness to continue the fight against egregious crimes committed in Guinea during Conde’s stewardship. Hence the arrest warrant issued against the former Guinean leader.
“As I have always said, we must be consistent with what we say. You can’t prosecute blood crimes when the public prosecutor’s office is holding back,” said Alphonse Charles Wright, about the 84 year-old former leader who left Guinea in May 2022 for Turkey under what was called ”humanitarian grounds”.
SKD/te/lb/as/APA