Gunmen staged an audacious attack on Guinea’s main prison in the early hours of Saturday, resulting in the escape of former dictator Moussa Dadis Camara and several others, including Claude Pivi and Blaise Goumou, according to Justice Minister Charles Alphonse Wright. The incident led to the closure of Guinea’s borders.
“We will find them. And those responsible will be held accountable,” vowed Wright during an interview with local Radio Fim FM. Moussa Dadis Camara, who rose to power through a coup in 2008, had been detained in connection with a stadium massacre that occurred during his brief rule. Following an assassination attempt, he had lived in exile for several years before returning to Guinea in late 2021.
In a recent twist, Camara’s lawyer, Pepe Antoine Lamah, announced that the former leader had been recaptured and was back in Central House prison in Conakry. Lamah denied that Dadis Camara had willingly participated in the jailbreak, asserting that he had been abducted by armed men.
The prison break operation had prompted heavy gunfire in Conakry, and Justice Minister Alphonse Charles Wright disclosed that one of Camara’s escaped allies had been apprehended. The situation raised questions about whether Camara had been a willing participant in his escape.
The Guinean army condemned the operation, characterizing it as an attempt to “sabotage” government reforms. The army expressed its “unwavering commitment” to the current authorities.
