The Minister of Justice of the provisional government of Guinea, Alphonse Charles Wright, ordered the initiation of a case on charges of treason and possession of weapons against former head of state Alpha Condé, according to a statement published on the official page of the ministry on Facebook.
"You are ordered … to initiate proceedings against professor Alpha Condé, former President of the Republic, for possible acts of treason, criminal conspiracy and complicity in the illegal possession of weapons and ammunition," Wright said in a letter posted by his ministry on Monday.
According to the document, the ex-head of state, together with the "famous blogger" Fodé Moussa Mara, ensured the purchase of weapons, ammunition and related materials.
This order continues an earlier investigation into the former President of Guinea. Thus, according to the Africa Report newspaper, in November 2022, Guinea's Ministry of Justice instructed the prosecutor's office to open a criminal case on corruption charges against the country's ousted President Alpha Condé and 186 other ex-ministers and senior officials of the previous government of the African country.
On September 5, 2021, Alpha Condé was overthrown; Colonel Mamady Doumbouy, who led Guinea's elite special forces unit, announced the seizure of power and the detention of Condé.
The rebels abolished the constitution and created decision-making bodies for the highest government of the country. Doumbouy was sworn in as Guinea's transitional president on October 1, 2022.
In response, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed several rounds of diplomatic, economic, and financial sanctions on Guinea. Furthermore, Guinea participation in the African Union has also been suspended.
In agreement with the ECOWAS, the transition period in Guinea will end on January 1, 2025, with the transfer of power from the military to civilian institutions.