By Kemo Cham
Liberian authorities say they are investigating a suspected attempt to overthrow the military-led government of President Mamadi Doumbouya of Guinea.
Liberian state security authorities were quoted this week saying that a man identified as Ibrahima Khalil Cherif was arrested at the Liberia-Guinea border involved in activities geared towards plotting to destabilize the neighbouring country, including recruiting mercenaries. The suspects is alleged to have received support from former Guinean President Alpha Conde who was overthrown by the Doumbouya in a coup three years ago.
The Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) in a report on Wednesday, September 18th, cited an official statement from state security sources saying that the suspect had been transferred to Monrovia to be charged with multiple offenses, including act of mercenary, insurrection, criminal facilitation, criminal conspiracy, and criminal solicitation.
According to the LBS, which is the Liberian state broadcaster, Cherif allegedly received US$150,000 from former President Condé to execute his plan.
Conde, who ruled Guinea from 2010-2021, was overthrown by the military on September 5, 2021, amid political unrest created by his successful third term bid. He was the first democratically elected president of Guinea.
The deposed former president has since been living in exile in Turkiye.
But recently it was rumoured that he might have left Turkiye for an unknown neighbouring African country.
The development in Liberia came a day after Guinea’s Prime Minister, Bah Oury, appealed to Guinea’s neighbours not to provide a base to destabilize the country.
On Friday, September 20th, the leadership of the junta weighed in on the matter. General Amara Camara, Spokesman for the Presidency, said while they also heard news of the alleged plot from the Liberian media, they were not surprised by it as Alpha Conde was capable of what he was accused of doing. But the junta spokesperson warned at a press conference that his government was capable enough to go after anyone involved in plot to destabilize the country, including the former President.
Meanwhile, Conde’s party, the Rally of the Guinean People or RPG, as it is known by its French acronym, has dismissed the allegation against its founder as baseless. Former Minister of Trade and member of the National Political Bureau of the RPG, Marc Yombouno, challenged the government to provide proof to back up its claims.
“We will not even (attempt) to respond to such nonsense. We are past that stage. These crude arrangements do not stand the test of reason. Let the authors of these defamations come and provide evidence to support their claims,” he told Guineenews.com.
Mr Yombouno argued that the RPG assumed power by democratic means, and it had no intension of regaining it by other means.
