MOUSSA DADIS CAMARA

Moussa Dadis Camara was born in 1964 in Koulé, a small town in southeastern Guinea's Nzérékoré Prefecture, near the borders with Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia. He belongs to the Kpelle ethnic group, known locally as the Guerze. Camara received his early education in Nzérékoré, about 40 kilometers from his hometown, before studying law and economics at Abdel Nasser University in Conakry, the capital city.

Camara joined the Guinean army in 1990, starting as a corporal. He gradually rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the Chief of Fuels at the army base in Kindia, northeast of Conakry. From 2001 to 2002, he served as a peacekeeper in Sierra Leone under the United Nations. His military training also took him to Bremen, Germany, for 18 months in 2004. By November 2008, Camara had become head of the army's fuel supplies unit, a significant role within the Guinean Ministry of Defense.

His political prominence surged following the death of President Lansana Conté on 22 December 2008. Hours after the announcement of Conté's death, Camara, representing the National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD), declared a military coup, dissolving the government and suspending the constitution. Camara justified the coup by citing rampant corruption and the nation's dire conditions, stating that the existing institutions were incapable of addressing the country's issues. He pledged that the military would oversee a transitional government, promising credible elections by the end of 2010. However, his intention to remain in power for two years contradicted earlier commitments to hold elections within the constitutionally mandated 60 days.

Camara's rule faced significant opposition, culminating in a major crisis on 28 September 2009, when security forces, including the presidential guard, violently suppressed a demonstration in Conakry's Stade du 28 Septembre. The protestors had called for Camara to step down. The crackdown resulted in over 150 deaths, numerous injuries, and reports of brutal sexual violence. International condemnation followed, with bodies like the United Nations and the African Union demanding accountability. In response, sanctions were imposed on Camara and his associates, including travel bans and asset freezes.

On 3 December 2009, Camara was shot by his aide-de-camp, Abubakar "Toumba" Diakite, during an internal power struggle. Although initial reports suggested he was lightly wounded, Camara left Guinea for medical treatment in Morocco. With Camara absent, Sékouba Konaté assumed leadership of the transition, eventually guiding the country toward elections in 2010.

Camara later went into exile in Burkina Faso, where he continued his recovery. A January 2010 agreement in Ouagadougou between Camara, Konaté, and then-President of Burkina Faso Blaise Compaoré outlined a plan for Guinea’s return to civilian rule, including Camara's decision to remain out of the political scene. During his exile, he converted to Roman Catholicism, adopting the name "Moïse." In 2013, he briefly returned to Guinea for his mother’s funeral, but another visit in 2015 was thwarted when President Alpha Condé blocked his return.

Camara remained in exile until December 2021, when he returned to Guinea. In 2022, he faced trial for his role in the 2009 massacre, with his detention drawing criticism from his legal team, citing violations of his rights. The trial proceeded with Camara and ten others facing charges related to the violence. In November 2023, a prison escape involving Camara and three others resulted in several casualties, though he was recaptured within hours.

On 31 July 2024, Moussa Dadis Camara was found guilty of crimes against humanity for his involvement in the 2009 events and was sentenced to twenty years in prison.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moussa_Dadis_Camara