Guinea’s ex-military leader, Moussa Dadis Camara has been re-arrested and returned to prison hours after an attack by heavily armed men on Saturday where Camara and at least two others were freed.
The two others are former officials standing trial alongside Camara over a 2009 massacre during his presidency
Camara’s lawyer and Minister of Justice announced his re-arrest on Saturday.
“Captain Moussa Dadis Camara has been found safe and sound and taken back to prison,” an army spokesperson told AFP, but did not specify the circumstances of the capture.
One of Camara’s lawyers, Jocamey Haba, told AFP his client was back behind bars.
Minister of Justice, Alphonse Charles Wright had earlier announced that at around 0500 GMT “heavily armed men” burst into the prison and “managed to leave with four (prisoners)… notably Captain Moussa Dadis Camara”.
He said the borders had been closed while efforts were on to re-arrest them.
It was unclear whether Camara had escaped of his own free will.
The army described the operation as an attempt to “sabotage” government reforms and swore its “unwavering commitment” to the current military-led authorities.
A judicial source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the masked and heavily armed soldiers who arrived at Conakry’s central prison declared they “had come to free” Camara.
Inside, the group headed towards his cell, appearing to already know its location, the source said.
Haba told AFP he believed his client had been “kidnapped” and his life was “in danger”.
“He has confidence in the justice of his country, which is why he would never try to escape,” he added, referring to the ongoing trial against Camara.
Wright also said Colonel Moussa Tiegboro Camara along with one of the escapees had since been “recaptured”.
Tiegboro Camara’s lawyer said he had escaped from what he described as his “captors”.
