Ocampo may rope in Guinean junta leaders

DAKAR, Wednesday

Ailing Guinean junta leader and a handful of his colleagues are most likely be roped in by the UN backed International Criminal Court (ICC) for the charges of crimes against humanity as indicated by an international investigation commission over the September 28, 2009 mayhem in Conakry.

The UN-backed international commission which investigated the massacre and issued its finding last week to UN chief Ban Ki-Moon, laid responsibility on Moussa Dadis Camara, the leader of the military junta and a few of his colleagues including his renegade former body guard who attempted to assassinate him on December 3.

In its report, the commission observed that there was “a series of systematic killings, rape and acts of torture orchestrated against a section of the population” on that fateful day. It said there was “strong suspicion” that the crimes against humanity had been committed during the massacre which the commission said left a total of 156 dead, dozens of disappearances, hundreds seriously injured while over a hundred women were raped.

The incident stemmed from a stalled politico-military dialogue in the country following the junta leaders hypothetical declaration that he would take part in the presidential election in contrast to his earlier promise.

International outcry

Hence, the UN-backed commission which included mainly African experts from Algeria, Burundi and Mauritius, spent one month in Guinea to investigate the mayhem that triggered an international outcry followed by economic and political sanctions from France and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) respectively.

The Commission consulted with victims of the incident, members of the junta, political and civil society organizations, the international rights groups in the country as well as with the local general public.

The Commission’s report, according to Mr Ban, will be handed over to ICC’s chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo. A similar report last week by the Human Rights Watch, squarely laid the responsibilities of the mayhem on the junta leader and his renegade former body guard.

Although no date has been advanced by the ICC’s chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo for it to make a pronouncement on the issue, it is widely believed that this will be during the first quarter of 2010.