Former Guinea Dictator Camara, Two Others Escape from Prison in a Jailbreak

Gunmen stormed the main prison in Guinea’s capital early Saturday and freed former dictator Moussa “Dadis” Camara, the country’s justice minister said. 

Authorities announced the closure of the West African nation’s borders.

The announcement by Justice Minister Charles Alphonse Wright came several hours after heavy gunfire erupted in the Kaloum district of the capital, Conakry.

Among the others who escaped were Claude Pivi and Blaise Goumou, Wright said.

“We will find them. And those responsible will be held accountable,” Wright told local Radio Fim FM.

Camara, who came to power in a 2008 coup d’etat, had been detained in connection with a stadium massacre during his brief time in power. He had lived for years in exile after surviving an assassination attempt before returning home in late 2021.

Several witnesses said the roads were empty and armoured vehicles stationed in several points.

Kaloum is located on a peninsula and houses the presidency and several top government and administrative offices as well as the military headquarters and the main prison.

Several witnesses said the firing took place near the jail and the 8 Novembre bridge — the sole access route to the city centre.

An airport source said no flights had taken off from Conakry’s international airport on Saturday morning as air traffic staff could not get to the airport from Kaloum.

• Dictatorships and coups –

Guinea is among several countries to have seen coups since 2020, along with Mali, Burkina Faso and this year, Niger and Gabon.

The latest spurt of unrest in Conakry comes as Guinea holds the trial of the former dictator Camara, who was held in the centre of the capital since hearings began in September last year.

Camara and 10 other former military and government officials are accused over a 2009 massacre carried out by security forces loyal to the then-junta leader.

The killing of 156 people and the rape of at least 109 women started at a political rally in a Conakry stadium on September 28, 2009 and continued in the days that followed, according to a UN-mandated enquiry.

Camara — who himself came to power in a coup in December 2008 — and his co-defendants are charged with murder, sexual violence, torture, abduction and kidnapping.

By Agencies