Seven bailed in Guinean drug investigation

In Guinea, seven army officers arrested last year in connection with drug-trafficking have been released on bail. However, the son of late president Lansana Conté remains in jail. The suspects were arrested in February and March 2009 by the Guinean anti-drug squad.

Ousmane Conté, le fils aîné du défunt président, avait reconnu à la télévision son implication avec le réseau de narcotrafiquants. (Photo : AFP)

They were initially held at Alpha Yaya Diallo military camp outside the capital Conakry before being moved to a prison.

Correspondent Karim Kamara told RFI that the justice ministry said they had been granted bail on “humanitarian grounds”.

Among those released were the former chief of staff General Diarra Camara, Colonel Souleymane Diallo, Mohamed Victor Traore, who formerly headed the Office for the Repression of Economic and Financial Crimes, Bakary Thermite Mara, former chief of traffic police, and Mbemba Bangoura, a former regional governor.

In recent years, Guinea has become a transit point for cocaine coming from South Africa and headed for European markets.

However, the ruling junta vowed to crack down on drug traffickers after seizing power in December 2008.

Soon afterwards several suspects, including former president Lansana Conté's eldest son Ousmane, were arrested and interrogated on Guinean television.

Ousmane Conté admitted his role in drug-trafficking but denied he was the godfather of the country’s lucrative drug trade.