Guinea: The Curious Case Of Former PM Kassory Fofana

By Samuel Ouma [caption id="attachment_108051" align="alignnone" width="624"] The lines have been blurred in the trial of Ibrahima Kassory Fofana leading to questions on the real motives for his detention .Photo courtesy[/caption] A political future in limbo, judicial proceedings against tainted with bias and irrational decisions, failing health leading to growing concerns from friends for his safety-such is the lot of former Guinean Prime Minister Ibrahima Kassory Fofana. Languishing in jail on alleged corruption charges, former Prime Minister Kassory Fofana is one of the high-profile casualties of the coup that ended the third term folly of President Alpha Conde in violation of constitutional term limits. Amid fears for his safety, health and future, the American government is been urged to champion for his release after been held behind bars for more than a year. In a letter addressed to Members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation, friends of Fofana living in the US urge authorities and the Biden administration to look into the curious case of the former Guinean Prime Minister They said Kassory is wrongly detained, saying corruption charges being levelled against him are politically motivated and nothing but a total witch hunt. They further claimed that he has been seriously ill since February 2023, and the current Guinea regime led by Colonel Doumbouya has refused to authorize his sanitary evacuation to receive medical attention. “Yours is a very powerful voice, a voice that champions the course of democracy, a voice that epitomizes the rule of law and the respect of fundamental human rights. For Mr. Fofana and his frail health, the genuine fear for his life, the trauma that his wife and children are going through, it is our prayer that you will use that powerful voice to call for his speedy release,” read the letter in part. “Mr. Fofana has been severely ill as well. His situation has since worsened and he has been in and out of the hospital. On several occasions, his trial has also been adjourned because of his deteriorating health.” According to the friends of Fofana, Colonel Doumbouya's regime is deliberately playing hide and seek with his health with the intention to eliminate him ahead of the upcoming elections. They likened Kassory's situation to what happened to Mali’s Former Prime Minister, Boubeye Maiga. Maiga died at a local hospital after his government denied him a chance to seek medical assistance. “Mr. Fofana’s case is like a déjà vu of what happened in Mali to Former Prime Minister Boubeye Maiga. As soon as Mr. Maiga started talking about a transition of power back to civilians through elections, and his possible candidacy, he was arrested, never judged, became ill and was interned in a local hospital where he died, after the government denied his evacuation for medical treatment. Many in Mali have the suspicion that that he may have been assassinated by the military junta there,” they said. Mr. Fofana reportedly enjoys solid political support in Guinea compared to some of his opponents, a thing that gives National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD) the military junta sleepless nights. As Prime Minister, Fofana promoted economic growth, job creation, and improving Guinea's investment climate. He also implemented many economic measures, especially in the mining sector, to draw in international capital and profit from Guinea's abundant natural resources. Prior to joining politics, he enjoyed a successful career in business, mainly in the mining sector. He had various senior roles with mining companies, including that of Chief senior Officer at the World Bank Group's International Finance Corporation (IFC). He also served as an advisor to ousted Guinea president Alpha Condé on economic and financial matters. “The current military ruler is showing no signs of organizing elections and handing over power to a democratically elected government anytime soon. Opposition leaders who cheered his coup hoping for a speedy transition to civilian rule have been forced to flee the country,” added the friends of Fofana. Mr. Fofana was arrested in April 2022, just months after the coup of 2021, and charged with theft of public funds, unlawful enrichment, money laundering, and complicity. He was accused of stealing nearly $4 million in government funds meant for economic, political, and social activities. He was also accused of stealing more than $40 million in funds intended to help the West African country combat the Covid-19 outbreak. The former Prime Minister was arrested alongside former Mines and Geology Minister Mohamed Lamine Fofana and former Presidency of the Republic Secretary-General Sékou Kourouma. [caption id="attachment_108052" align="alignnone" width="800"] There have been growing concerns on the health and political future of Ibrahima Fofana[/caption] Fofana was set to be freed with a fine of 20 billion Guinean Francs and placed under court supervision after being detained for more than a month, but the prosecutor for the Court of Repression of Economic and Financial Offenses (CRIEF) opposed his release. On March 23, the defence lawyer for Fofana filed a new request for release with the Supreme Court. However, the court dismissed his appeal, calling it "unfounded." Fofana's lawyer, Sidiki Berete, accused the Supreme Court of prejudice since preventive detention in the Republic of Guinea is for four months, renewable once, yet his client had been jailed for 11 months. Following the court’s decision Fofana and his co-accused failed to appear in court at the start of their trial on March 16, 2023. In an open letter written from prison, he criticized a targeted and selective witch hunt before announcing that he would not appear in court unless his fundamental human rights were honoured. Additionally, due to health issues, the trial of Fofana was postponed once again until May 15. According to fraud prosecutor Josephine Loli Tinkiano, the trial was postponed because Fofana was receiving "perfusion treatment" for an ailment that was not clearly medically related. As a supporter of democracy, friends of PM Kassory Fofana think the US government should champion for his release so that he can undergo medical treatment as stipulated in international laws. They also believe that the US government should do more in trying to push for better respect of human rights and a return to constitutional democratic rule in Guinea. *Culled From August Edition Of PAV Magazine