Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CONAKRY687
2008-11-10 16:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Conakry
Cable title:  

FORMER FINANCE MINISTER BROUGHT IN FOR QUESTIONING

Tags:  PGOV PREL ASEC GV 
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VZCZCXRO7721
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0687 3151620
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101620Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3138
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
UNCLAS CONAKRY 000687 

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: FORMER FINANCE MINISTER BROUGHT IN FOR QUESTIONING

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000687

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: FORMER FINANCE MINISTER BROUGHT IN FOR QUESTIONING


1. (SBU) According to multiple sources, Ousmane Dore, the
former minister of finance, was brought in for questioning by
the Judicial Police on November 7. Dore had originally been
appointed under former Prime Minister Kouyate, and was one of
the few Kouyate appointees retained in Prime Minister
Souare's administration. President Conte fired Dore in early
October. Over the past several months, Dore has been heavily
criticized by the press, and by numerous Embassy contacts,
for alleged corruption. Internet news site Guinee24.com,
which is strongly biased in support of Kouyate, frequently
refers to the former finance minister as Dr. Ousmane "Judas"
Dore.


2. (SBU) Although the specific allegations against Dore are
unclear, he has been accused in the press of embezzling
public funds (especially funds related to Guinea's 50th
anniversary celebration) and for facilitating a
non-transparent contracting process. Dore reportedly spent
several hours at the police office, with two private lawyers
in attendance.


3. (SBU) Embassy contacts report conflicting information as
to the circumstances of Dore's detention. Most sources
indicate that Dore was detained and then eventually released
on Friday after President Conte intervened and demanded his
release.

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COMMENT
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4. (SBU) The international community has worked closely with
Dore and generally thinks very highly of him. A polished
technocrat, he is widely credited as the man responsible for
restoring Guinea's IMF Poverty Reduction Strategy Program.
At the same time, Dore has been unpopular among his GoG
colleagues (even during Kouyate's administration) because of
his efforts to reform public finance, which included the
implementation of financial controls that effectively blocked
high-level, carte blanche access to public funds. While it
is possible that Dore's hands are tainted by corruption, the
current administration may be making him the scapegoat for
the government's weak performance, citing a general
mismanagement of public funds and difficulties in getting
budgeted funds released. President Conte intervened in two
other possible corruption cases against recently fired
officials, effectively killing the investigations before they
ever got started. END COMMENT.
RASPOLIC