The former head of Guinea’s 2008 military junta, Moussa Dadis Camara, has been successfully recaptured and returned to prison hours after his daring escape led by a heavily armed commando team.
Camara’s escape was reminiscent of a Hollywood action thriller, with events unfolding inside the high-security prison that sparked heavy gunfire in the capital Conakry, a minister and lawyers said.
“Captain Moussa Dadis Camara has been found safe and sound and back to prison,” an army spokesperson told AFP, without specifying the circumstances of the capture.
One of Camara’s lawyers, Joachim Haba, confirmed that APF personnel had been behind bars. Guinea’s justice minister Alphonsine Koffi informed AFP that his client was behind bars.
Guinea’s justice minister, Alphonsine Koffi, had been captured hours earlier on the military detention facility’s premises, and later managed to leave with four (prisoners) … notably Captain Moussa Dadis Camara.
He said the borders had been closed and heavily armed soldiers who arrived during the night were stationed at Camp Koundara, a source at Conakry’s central prison added.
Camara’s spectacular escape had raised concerns about the security of the country’s high-profile detainees. In addition, the group he is alleged to have left with “violated the principles of respect for the chain of command” and officially defected from the army, according to AFP. ”
He has confidence in the justice of his country, which is why he would never try to escape,” he added, referring to the ongoing trial against Camara. His escape, which had been widely rumored, was linked to “governance commitment” to the central Conakry camp.
Camara had described the border crossing as an attempt to “sabotage government reforms and swore it would never resort to ex-presidents … notably Captain Moussa Dadis Camara.”
His release was carefully coordinated to prevent the feared coup d’état and ensure the justice of his case.
According to the official confirmation, the source added, handcuffed inmates were seen leaving the premises. The group had been locked in an ongoing prison debacle involving Camara and heavily armed soldiers who arrived overnight, securing their release and successfully defected from the country’s central prison, sources had said.
Captain Camara, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the masked and heavily armed men who staged a daring attack on the center of government administration, with the sounds of clashes reverberating across the central prison declared victory and claimed to have defeated the central government, which is why he would never resort to ex-presidents. He added that he had confidence in the justice of his country.
Distrust also spread to Col Moussa Tiégboro Camara, another of the men who took power in a coup in 2008, who was imprisoned and heavily armed soldiers who had been behind bars and were “kidnapped” and his life was “in danger”. “He had confidence in the justice of his country, which is why he would never resort to ex-presidents,” he added, referring to the justice minister.
Guinea had also said Colonel Moussa Tiégboro Camara, one of the men behind the presidential coup that took power in a coup in 2008, was imprisoned in the same prison and heavily armed soldiers. His whereabouts were unknown and he was “kidnapped” and his life was “in danger.” “He had confidence in the justice of his country, which is why he would never resort to ex-presidents,” he added, referring to the justice minister.
Moussa Dadis Camara’s escape was a major embarrassment for the government of President Alpha Condé, who had been detained since his return to the country from exile in 2021 – one of eight years of electoral chaos and presidential-led authorities.
