A court in Guinea has sentenced Mohamed Diané, the former influential defence minister, to five years in prison for corruption, illicit enrichment, embezzlement, and money laundering.
Diané served as defence minister from 2015 to 2021 under President Alpha Condé, before the military took control of the government.
In addition to the prison sentence, Diané was fined $58.5 million (£46 million), and his bank accounts and properties in Conakry and Kankan will be seized by the state. The judge ordered the assets’ confiscation, stating their origin could not be substantiated.
Diané has been in detention since May 2022, when the military junta initiated a corruption crackdown. After taking power, the junta made anti-corruption efforts a top priority and established an anti-corruption court.
By late 2022, the junta demanded legal action against over 180 individuals, including former ministers and officials accused of corruption, and had already initiated proceedings against former President Condé.
While many Guineans initially supported the military takeover, there are growing accusations that the junta, led by Gen Mamady Doumbouya, is suppressing opposition, particularly former allies of the ousted president.
Gen Doumbouya had previously assured there would be no “witch hunt” against the former government.
The junta had proposed a two-year transition period to democratic elections starting in 2022, following negotiations with the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS.
However, with the transition period set to end this year, no significant progress has been made toward holding elections or holding a referendum on a draft constitution that would precede them.
In July, the junta unveiled a draft constitution that could allow Gen Doumbouya to run for president in the yet-to-be-scheduled elections.