The former Guinean junta leader Captain (Rtd) Moussa Dadis Camara (seen in this dated photo from Wikipedia) was Wednesday stopped at Accra Kotoka International airport from flying to Abidjan from where he was to take another flight to his country.
Dadis, famous for his Dadis shows (public humiliation of corrupt individuals on TV) when he was in power was told by airport authorities to return to the Burkinabe capital of Ouagadougou where he has been in exile since he was shot in the head and nearly killed by one of his bodyguards called Toumba December 2009.
Dadis,back in Ouaga, has promised to hold a press conference to explain why the authorities in Guinea do not want him back at this time. Guinea is to hold elections soon and the main opposition leader Cellein Diallo has formed an alliance with Dadis who has created a new party and wants to play a role in the forthcoming elections.
He draws his support mainly from what is known as Guinea’s forest region (on the border with Liberia Cote d’Ivoire). Nzerekore is the capital of that part of the country. Indeed women in that city have been clamouring for his return for some time now, the men (especially those in government) apparently afraid to show their support at this time.
Ghana says, according to reports, that they did not get clearance from Abidjan to allow Dadis to proceed to that country while Abidjan says Conakry does not seem enthusiastic about his return.
Dadis, who faces charges of human rights violations during his reign (which he continues to vigorously deny) says his travel harassment is politically motivated.
Here is Dadis in one of his Dadis Shows (a huge source of entertainment for Guinean national television viewers at the time). He was at the height of his power as Guinean military leader (he took power after the death of General Lansana Conte in 2008). The proceedings are in French, Guinea’s official language. He is scolding a Russian businessman apparently involved in some shady deals in Guinea:
Comments