COMINGS AND GOINGS AT CONAKRY'S CENTRAL PRISON

C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000207

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: COMINGS AND GOINGS AT CONAKRY'S CENTRAL PRISON

REF: CONAKRY 00202

Classified By: POLOFF J. TULLY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. POLOFF met with prison NGO contact who
provided an official list of prisoners -- all members of the
Guinean armed forces -- who were reportedly freed from
Conakry's central jail by CNDD members immediately following
the coup. Contact confirmed that ex-Minister of Mines, Ahmed
Kante, had arrived at the jail and provided POLOFF with a
list of 28 civilian prisoners allegedly incarcerated since
the coup. END SUMMARY.


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GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD
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2. (C) POLOFF met with NGO ASWAR (Support for Refugees and
Displaced Persons in Detention) Director Soraya Laghifiri who
had offered information regarding prisoners of interest held
at Surete National, Conakry's central prison downtown. Dr.
Laghifiri provided a copy of an official document detailing
the early and irregular release of 34 members of the Guinean
Armed Forces who were held in Surete, prior to the coup
d'etat on December 23. More than half of these prisoners were
being held for armed robbery, while others were incarcerated
for murder and trafficking in cocaine. The document details
that most of the 34 prisoners were released on the authority
of prominent members of the CNDD four days after the coup,
and the last released on January 13.
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EX-MINISTER OF MINES KANTE ARRIVES
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3. (C) Dr. Laghifiri confirmed that ex-Minister of Mines
Ahmed Kante had just arrived at the prison (reftel) and was
being held in a special room along with several recently
arrested police officers. Although the room is large, it
reportedly has no beds. Laghifiri noted that the minister's
cell mates were bringing in food. Kante joins ex-Security
Minister Mohamed Damba who is also now incarcerated at Surete.

4. (C) A second official document was provided that concerned
Laghifiri because of its inaccuracy. The document lists 28
civilian prisoners, reportedly arrested since the coup, and
held at Surete for a variety of reasons. However, according
to ASWAR about ten of the prisoners are not at Surete and
their whereabouts are unknown. Several prisoners on the list
were from Colombia, Cape Verde, Nigeria, Mali, and were being
held for international drug trafficking. Others were in on
marijuana charges while one hapless student was detained for
"expressing outrage at an officer exercising his duties."

5. (C) COMMENT. The early release of the 34 prisoners by the
CNDD appears to be inconsistent with CNDD President Dadis'
vigorous commitment to root out corruption in Guinea, which
currently is targeting the civilian population. Even in the
best of times, the Guinean justice system is fraught with
problems. Embassy continues to monitor the situation
closely. END COMMENT.

RASPOLIC