A court in Guinea has sentenced Mohamed Diane, a former defence minister, to five years in prison for corruption, illicit enrichment, embezzlement, and money laundering. Diane, who served under President Alpha Condé from 2015 to 2021, has also been fined $58.5 million (£46 million). Additionally, his bank accounts and properties in Conakry and Kankan will be seized by the state, as their origins could not be justified, according to the judge.
Diane has been in detention since May 2022 after the military junta, which seized power in September 2021, launched a campaign against corruption. Fighting graft has been a central promise of the junta led by Gen Mamady Doumbouya. The military established a special anti-corruption court and, by late 2022, initiated legal proceedings against over 180 former officials, including ex-ministers and President Condé.
However, public sentiment towards the junta has shifted. While many Guineans initially supported the coup, hoping for an end to widespread corruption, criticism is growing over its perceived failure to deliver on promises. Concerns have been raised about increased crackdowns on dissent and former allies of the ousted regime, contradicting Gen Doumbouya’s earlier assurance of avoiding a “witch hunt.”
Despite pledging a two-year transition to democracy starting in 2022, there has been little progress towards elections or a referendum on a draft constitution. In July, the junta introduced a constitutional draft that could allow Gen Doumbouya to run for president in the yet-to-be-scheduled elections, raising fears about the military’s intentions to hold onto power.
