Former President Conde faces prosecution for corruption, govt. orders freezing of bank accounts

The government of Guinea on Thursday ordered the prosecution of former President Alpha Conde for corruption. Conde was overthrown in a military coup in the West African country in 2021. The government also ordered the prosecution of other officials, who include 180 officials and former ministers for corruption charges.

The justice minister in a letter to public prosecutors, indicating a new stage in the fight against corruption, ordered the prosecutors to commence legal action against the former president and other government officials.

Justice Minister Alphonse Charles Wright in the letter ordered prosecutors to take legal action against the people listed for allegations of “corruption, illicit enrichment, money laundering, forgery and use of forgeries in public writing, embezzlement of public funds and complicity”. The letter also ordered the freezing of their bank accounts.

Justice Minister Alphonse Charles Wright in the letter declared: “The Guinean government, in its policy of raising the moral standards of public life, has set itself the objective of fighting against economic and financial infractions.

“It is imperative to open judicial investigations to clarify the origin of the funds in these various accounts.”

Former prime minister Ibrahima Kassory Fofana and the former ministers of defence, economy and trade, including presidential advisers in the Conde government are all targeted for prosecution.