By Chinasaokwu Helen Okoro
A court in Guinea has sentenced a former highly influential defence minister to five years in prison for corruption, illicit enrichment, embezzlement and money laundering.
Mohamed Diané served as defence minister between 2015 and 2021 under President Alpha Condé, before the army seized power.
He was also ordered to pay a $58.5m (£46m) fine, and his bank accounts and property in the capital Conakry and the eastern city of Kankan will also be confiscated by the state.
The judge said the assets were to be seized as their origin could not be justified.
Diané has been in detention since May 2022 when the military junta launched a campaign against corruption in the country.
After taking power, the junta made fighting corruption one of its key priorities in the impoverished West African state and established an anti-corruption court.
Towards the end of 2022, the military leaders demanded legal action against over 180 people, including ex-ministers and other officials accused of corruption.
The junta had then already launched a case against former President Condé.Many Guineans initially welcomed the military takeover but now accuse the junta, led by Gen Mamady Doumbouya, of stifling dissent.
There are growing concerns that the junta has heightened its crackdown on the opposition, especially former allies of the deposed leader.
Gen Doumbouya has in the past promised there would be no “witch hunt” against the former government.
The junta initially proposed a two-year transition to democratic elections from 2022, after negotiations with the West African regional bloc Ecowas.
The promised transition ends this year.But there has been no progress towards organising an election or on a promised referendum on a draft constitution, which would precede an election.
In July, the junta presented a draft constitution that would potentially allow Gen Doumbouya to contest the presidency in the yet-to-be-announced elections.
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