Guinean military fugitive “Toumba” arrested in Dakar

By Alpha Kamara

DAKAR, Senegal (AA) - Guinean military commander and fugitive Aboubacar Sidiki "Toumba" Diakite has been arrested by the Senegalese authorities in Dakar.

He was arrested by the Senegalese Gendarmerie in a search operation that was carried out in the outskirts of Dakar on Tuesday morning.

"Toumba" Diakite, a close aide to Guinea’s military junta head Dadis Camara, had been on the run since December 2009.

"Toumba" was also the head of the presidential guard, the red berets, a group that allegedly raped and killed hundreds of people at a Conakry stadium when they protested against the military rule.

A police communique circulated by the Senegalese police says the operation started over a month ago after they had a tip off. “Twelve members of the section of the gendarmerie worked 24 hours a day. "Toumba", very discreet, lived in Dakar in a bourgeois district close to the city’s African Monument De Renaissance statue."

“The fugitive had gained weight; he was hardly recognizable and used a Guinean license with the name Aboubacar Barry to pass through the checks," the police said.

Upon his arrest, Commander Aboubacar Diakite acknowledged his identity, confirmed by documents found in the apartment he rented.

He was taken to the Samba Diery Diallo barracks where he was questioned. He refused to explain how he lived in Senegal and whether he had external support, the communique added.

Accused of being responsible for the massacres perpetrated in the Conakry stadium of 28 September 2009, the soldier was subjected to an international arrest warrant.

Commander Aboubacar Sidiki “Toumba” Diakite, tried to murder ex-junta chief Moussa Dadis Camara in December 2009 at a military camp in Conakry, accusing him of wanting him to bear sole responsibility for the massacre of 157 opponents to the junta on 28 September the same year.

The judicial authorities of Guinea are expected to approach Senegal to request his extradition.