Gunfire near Guinea's main prison as infamous inmate transferred

_________________

CONAKRY - A well-known Guinean prisoner involved in an infamous 2009 stadium massacre was transferred from Conakry's central prison on Tuesday, a prosecutor said, as witnesses and an AFP journalist reported automatic gunfire near the facility.

Heavy security was deployed around the prison following the rapid shots, and both armoured vehicles and ambulances were seen in the area.

The prisoner, Aboubakar Sidiki Diakite, known as Toumba Diakite, is serving a 10-year sentence for his role in the September 2009 killing of 156 people and the rape of at least 109 women by pro-junta forces under then-dictator Moussa Dadis Camara.

During "a surprise search and security check" at the Conakry central prison, Diakite "displayed an aggressive attitude by refusing to submit to the search, while also making threats against the security officers", according to a prosecutor from the Conakry Court of Appeal whose statement was posted on the justice ministry's Facebook page.

As a result of the "alarming situation, which was compromising security at the facility", authorities transferred Diakite to Coyah prison, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Conakry.

Authorities did not explicitly link the transfer to the heavy automatic gunfire heard Tuesday morning.

Diakite, who has been in prison since 2016, is expected to be released this year after serving his 10-year sentence.

The September 2009 massacre and rapes occurred during and after a political rally attended by opposition supporters in a Conakry stadium and is one of the darkest pages in Guinean history.

Camara was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to 20 years, but was later pardoned by Guinea's current leader, Mamady Doumbouya.

Conakry's central prison, located near the presidency, government institutions and army headquarters, is no stranger to violent episodes.

In 2023, nine people died in a jailbreak that saw armed commandos briefly pluck Camara and three former officials from the facility.

Camara and two others were quickly returned, with one evading capture for months.

Prison problems

Tuesday's rapid gunfire began shortly before 9:00 am (local and GMT), lasting just more than a half hour.

"I heard the sound of vehicles speeding by, I rushed to the window and heard automatic gunfire," said Thierno Balde, an accountant who works in the neighbourhood.

Abdouramane Doukoure, a retired civil servant, said he was going past the prison in a car when he "heard the gunshots. Since there was a traffic jam, we all rushed in different directions to escape."

Another resident, whose home is next to the prison, reported hearing gunfire inside the facility.

Since its 1958 independence from France, Guinea has had a complex history of military and authoritarian rule.

Doumbouya, who overthrew civilian president Alpha Conde in September 2021, ruled Guinea as head of its junta until last month, when he was sworn in as president following elections.

Guinea is rich in minerals, but more than half of its inhabitants live below the poverty line, according to World Bank figures for 2024.