After Bah Oury, another politician gave his testimony on the tragic events of September 28, 2009.
“I am before this court neither to accuse nor to exonerate anyone. With these words, François Lounceny Fall, at the time president of the United Front for Democracy and Change (FUDEC), began his testimony on Tuesday, March 28.
The UN diplomat was at the stadium on the day of the September 28, 2009 massacre. The crackdown on the demonstration organized by the then opposition and civil society organizations against the candidacy
of Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, head of the former junta, left 157 people dead and at least 109 victims of sexual violence.
In his statement, the former Prime Minister of Lansana Conté from February to April 2004, described the violence that leaders such as Cellou Dalein Diallo, Sidya Touré, the late Jean Marie Doré, Mouctar Diallo, and himself and their activists suffered.
According to him, it was soldiers close to Marcel Guilavogui, one of the defendants, who were at work. He said that this soldier, close to Moussa Dadis Camara, beat them with the butt of his gun.
“There is a group of soldiers who came, whom I consider to be members of Marcel’s group. It was this group that gave us blows. Sidya Toure received a violent blow. From the rifle butts on his head, blood gushed out,” he recalled.
Saved by the arrival of Toumba Diakite who took them out of the scene and into his vehicle, he maintains that Marcel Guilavogui and his group pursued them.
According to him, even outside the stadium, in Toumba Diakite’s vehicle, soldier Marcel molested Sidya Toure.
“At one point, he gave Sidya Toure a violent blow with his truncheon; I felt the pain because it was in his face. Sidya said to him, “What did I do to you? Marcel replied, “You will never govern this country, we will kill you all. He was threatening. We were frightened,” he explained.
The former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Alpha Conde continued his testimony, stating that Private Marcel followed them to the Ambroise Pare clinic and threatened to use a grenade against the health facility if it ever received the politicians who were transported there by Toumba Diakite.
Faced with this situation, Moussa Dadis Camara’s former aide-de-camp took the decision to take them to the Gendarmerie headquarters where, says Mr. Fall, “Sidya Toure received first aid.
François Lounceny Fall asked the court to grant significant compensation to the victims.
“I am not asking the court for anything. I am here to give my testimony on what happened and in the hope of contributing to the manifestation of the truth. I hope that the court will take this into account. I think that we must unite to face this,” he added.
Following questions from Toumba Diakite’s lawyers, Judge Ibrahima Sory 2 Tounkara adjourned the hearing to March 29.
ASD/ac/fss/abj/APA