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.

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BACKGROUND
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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.

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COMMENT
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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