A Guinean court has sentenced Mohamed Diane, a former influential defence minister, to five years in prison on charges of corruption, illicit enrichment, embezzlement, and money laundering. Diane, who served under ex-President Alpha Condé from 2015 to 2021, was also fined $58.5 million (£46 million), and his assets, including properties in Conakry and Kankan, will be confiscated by the state due to their unexplained origins.
Diane has been in custody since May 2022, following the military junta’s anti-corruption campaign launched after its 2021 seizure of power. The junta, led by Gen Mamady Doumbouya, has prioritized tackling corruption in the impoverished West African nation and established a dedicated anti-corruption court to pursue these efforts.
In late 2022, the junta initiated legal proceedings against over 180 individuals, including former ministers and officials, as part of its crackdown on graft. Former President Condé is also facing charges. While many Guineans initially supported the military’s anti-corruption agenda, criticism has grown over the junta’s alleged suppression of opposition voices, including allies of the ousted government.
Gen Doumbouya has repeatedly assured that the campaign is not a “witch hunt,” but concerns about political repression persist.
The junta initially promised a two-year transition to democratic elections starting in 2022, following negotiations with the West African regional bloc ECOWAS. However, with the transition period ending this year, there has been little progress toward organizing elections or holding a referendum on the proposed draft constitution.
In July, the junta presented a draft constitution that could potentially enable Gen Doumbouya to run for the presidency in future elections, though no date has been set for the vote.