Former junta commander found guilty in 2009 stadium massacre by Guinean court

On Wednesday, a Guinean court declared that seven other military commanders and former junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara had committed crimes against humanity during the 2009 stadium massacre.

The court declared that their accusations—which had previously included murder, rape, torture, and kidnapping—had been redefined as crimes against humanity.

Four more defendants were acquitted.

On September 28, 2009, Camara, at 60 years old, was the leader of Guinea when over 150 people lost their lives in a pro-democracy demonstration.

The verdict was read in court while the former leader, who was arrested after escaping from prison in November of last year through an armed jailbreak, sat silently in a traditional bubu robe of gold and black. Camara received a 20-year prison term after entering a not guilty plea and rejecting the allegations.

Because of his cooperation with the court, another high-ranking official, Lieutenant Aboubacar Sidiki Diakite, also referred to as “Toumba,” was sentenced to ten years in prison.

The secretary of state in charge of combating organized crime, Colonel Moussa Tiegboro Camara, received a 20-year sentence.

Tens of thousands of people flocked to a Conakry stadium in 2009 in an attempt to pressure Camara not to run for president the following year. As security forces fired tear gas and charged the stadium, many were shot, stabbed, battered, or crushed in a stampede.

During the trial, prosecutors claimed that security personnel had sexually assaulted at least twelve women.

As the judge pronounced the verdict, she declared, “This is a widespread and systematic attack by armed men against a civilian population.”

He continued by saying that although victims of rape and torture would receive one billion Guinean francs ($233,890) each, the families of those who died would receive two billion.

$8,551.0000 Guinea francs is equal to $1.