Conakry – Police firing tear gas clashed with supporters of opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo on Monday in the first outbreak of violence in Guinea since the West African state suffered a coup last year.
Hundreds of young men hurled rocks at police in Ratoma, a suburb of the capital Conakry where the former prime minister has his party headquarters.
Police responded with tear gas, while traffic was restricted on the main road in the neighbourhood.
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In late 2019, Ratoma was the scene of months of violent protests by supporters of Diallo’s UFDG party.
Monday’s clashes were the first since the elected president, Alpha Conde, was toppled by ex-special forces commander Colonel Mamady Doumbouya last September.
The trigger for the latest confrontation was the junta’s decision on February 15 to order Diallo to leave his home in the district of Dixinn.
He was told to vacate the premises by Monday at the latest.
The junta took the same action against another former prime minister, Sidya Toure.
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Making the fight against corruption a battle cry, the military claimed that the two were living in properties that belong to the public domain.
Diallo says the home in Ratoma is a private asset that was sold to him by the state in 2005.
He and Toure mounted a judicial defence, but a local court on Monday said it was not empowered to rule on their petition.
Diallo left the property on Monday, an AFP journalist saw, and Toure did likewise, Guinean media reported.
Videos circulating on social media showed armed and helmeted police going to Toure’s home to ensure he complied with the order.
Diallo is also under investigation for “corruption and illicit enrichment” over the sale of two planes and other assets belonging to the now defunct national airline, according to a special prosecutor.
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The allegations date back to 2002, when the assets of the bankrupt Air Guinea were sold off. Diallo was transport minister at the time.
Diallo denies the accusations and says that he and his party are being targeted in a “relentless attack”.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Twitter / @Graphenes1
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