Guinea: trial of former Prime Minister Fofana postponed to May 15

The trial of former Guinean Prime Minister Ibrahima Kassory Fofana for alleged embezzlement of public funds has been adjourned to May 15 due to his state of health, the prosecutor of the Court of Repression of Economic and Financial Offenses (Crief ).

Ibrahima Kassory Fofana, Prime Minister from May 2018 until the September 2021 putsch, aged 69, was absent from court on Monday because he is "on a drip", said the prosecutor, Joséphine Loli Tinkiano. He has been imprisoned since April 2022 for corruption, embezzlement of public funds, illicit enrichment and money laundering.

"My client is not able to answer the questions of the court because he is very weakened by the prolonged detention", his lawyer Me Sidiki Bérété told AFP, who said he hoped for his recovery before May 15.

The trial of former Defense Minister Mohamed Diané, also absent in court, was postponed to May 8, also announced the Crief prosecutor. Mr Diané, 51, a member of the last government of deposed President Alpha Condé, according to her, fell in the morning in the toilet and suffered an injury to the level of the eyebrow arch.

Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who overthrew Mr Condé and has since been sworn in as president, has promised to rebuild a state undermined by divisions and by corruption deemed endemic. He assured that there would be no "witch hunt" but proclaimed the fight against corruption a primary mission.

In an open letter in March, Mr Fofana had denounced “a targeted and selective witch hunt”, procedural flaws and the absence of evidence against him, and said that he would not appear before a judge under the conditions current.

The junta leader pledged to hand over power to elected civilians within two years from January 2023.