Former leader of Guinea’s military gov’t escaping from prison recaptured

Former leader of Guinea’s military government Moussa Dadis Camara, who escaped from the central prison in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, Saturday morning, has been recaptured, according to Guinean armed forces.

Ibrahima Sory Bangoura, the chief of Staff and General of the Armed Forces of the Guinean transitional government who confirmed this in a statement, explained that Moussa Dadis Camara is safe and sound and is now back in the central prison of Conakry.

According to him, two other fugitives, Col. Moussa Tiegboro Camara and Col. Blaise Gomou, have also been recaptured and taken back to the prison.

The armed forces said that all measures were being taken to find the last fugitive Commander Claude Pivi.

A statement released by the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney General at the Court of Appeals in Conakry has issued instructions to initiate proceedings for serious charges against all four detainees who were exfiltrated Saturday from the central prison by an armed commando.

These detainees included Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, the former transition president, Colonel Moussa Tiegboro Camara, the former minister in charge of tackling organised crime and grand banditry at the presidency, Blaise Gomou, a former member of the anti-drugs squad and Commander Claude Pivi, the former minister responsible for presidential security.

Moussa Dadis Camara launched a coup on Dec. 23, 2008, and became the leader of the military government.

He lost power in January 2010 and went into exile abroad.

He returned to Guinea in December 2021 and was subsequently accused of violently suppressing the protests that took place in Conakry on Sept. 28, 2009, resulting in the deaths of more than 150 people and more than 1,000 injuries.

Moussa Dadis Camara, along with two other military officers, was detained in the prison in the Kaloum commune.