POLICE ARREST AND DETAIN FRIEND OF THE PRESIDENT

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000013 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM PREL ASEC GV SUBJECT: POLICE ARREST AND DETAIN FRIEND OF THE PRESIDENT ¶1. (SBU) Guinea's judicial police arrested Mme Chantal Colle on March 18 reportedly for inflammatory remarks against the prime minister during a press conference at the Novotel on March 17. According to police contacts, three police officers brought Mme Colle to the Director of the Judicial Police yesterday where she was interrogated regarding certain allegations she had publicly made against the prime minister on Monday. A press contact, who said he was at the Judicial Police office yesterday when Mme Colle was brought in, told POL LES that the Minister of Interior and Security, Beau Keita, personally arrested Colle and escorted her to the Judicial Police. The same contact said that no formal charges had been filed. Other contacts told RSO LES that Colle denied that she had said anything about the PM. She is reportedly still being detained and is expected to be taken to court. ¶2. (U) The Monday press conference was reportedly organized for Mme Colle to comment on the second anniversary of her company Alo, which is partnering with telecommunications giant Areeba. According to the press, Mme Colle commented extensively on Prime Minister Kouyate's failures, attributing ongoing economic and social problems to his poor leadership. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Colle is a long-time close associate of President Conte's who is rumored to also be one of his ex-girlfriends. She is wealthy with multiple business interests, but is more recently known for her partnership with the telecommunications company Areeba. Colle is widely seen as a close associate not only of the president's, but also of former Secretary General Fode Bangorah, and is believed to have been involved in pushing for the arrest of controversial millionaire Mamadou Syllah in 2006. She and Fode Bangorah were also seen as key elements behind the push to remove former prime minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, now the head of the Union Force Democratic Guinean (UFDG) opposition political party. Chantal Colle left Guinea for Paris in January 2007 as the country's political situation deteriorated. She only returned in January 2008 after President Conte was seen as reclaiming some of his previous power and influence following his sacking of Kouyate's communications minister. Colle is of French and Guinean descent. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The media, especially the internet, have been reporting widely on Mme Colle's arrest and there is much speculation as to what was said and what is happening. She is a controversial personality on par with Mamadou Syllah and Fode Bangorah, and is unlikely to generate much popular support for her predicament. However, as a private citizen, she should generally be able to express her views in a public setting. The exact circumstances of her arrest are unclear, but it is a case the Embassy will continue to monitor as it is likely to generate much controversy and possibly a reaction from the president's office, especially if the Minister of Interior is in fact personally responsible for her arrest. END COMMENT. BROKENSHIRE