️ Aboubacar Sidiki Diakité, also known as Toumba, one of the key military figures convicted of crimes against humanity for his involvement in Guinea's 2009 stadium massacre, has died in custody, authorities announced. The prison administration stated that he died early on Wednesday at the Samory Touré Military Hospital in Conakry, where he was taken late on Monday following a medical emergency. Citing his medical report, officials said he presented symptoms characterized by gastric swelling, abdominal pain, and constipation.

️ Diakité was serving a 10-year sentence for his role in one of the darkest episodes in Guinea's history, where more than 150 people were killed in the capital, Conakry, as they demanded an end to military rule, and at least 109 women and girls were raped. At the time of the massacre, he was commander of the presidential guard and a close ally of Guinea's then military ruler, Moussa Dadis Camara. On Camara's orders, security forces opened fire on tens of thousands of protesters gathered at a stadium on September 28, 2009, to oppose Camara's potential presidential run.

️ While in custody, Diakité remained a controversial figure, creating a political party and attempting to run for president, though his candidacy was rejected by the Supreme Court. His death has prompted mixed reactions in Guinea, where memories of the 2009 violence remain politically sensitive, and people are still awaiting full justice. A political expert likened his death to "the end of an era," telling the BBC: "He died, but the full truth died with him."

️ Diakité fled the country after the massacre and was arrested in Senegal in December 2016, living under an assumed identity, before being extradited to Guinea a year later. Camara, who survived a shot to the head allegedly blamed on Diakité, spent 12 years in exile before returning to face justice. Following a 22-month trial, he and seven of his commanders were convicted in 2024 for crimes against humanity, but Camara was pardoned in March last year by the current leader, Mamady Doumbouya, for health reasons, less than a year into his imprisonment.

️ Diakité's death underscores the unresolved tensions in Guinea's political landscape, where former military figures continue to exert influence long after leaving power, and the boundaries between justice, reconciliation, and political ambition remain contested. Guinea has experienced repeated periods of instability since independence, marked by military coups, contested elections, and violent crackdowns on dissent. Although the country has formally returned to civilian rule, efforts to address past abuses have been slow and, at times, deeply divisive. His death raises fresh questions about the legacy of accountability and the fate of those held responsible for one of the darkest episodes in Guinea's recent history.

Source: www.bbc.com