In 2021 Bolloré and three other officers of his companies reached a plea deal with state prosecutors admitting bribery of Guinean President Alpha Condé and Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé in 2010...

That is partly because of democratic shortcomings even in many member states under civilian elected government – such as Guinea's rigged referendum clearing the way for Alpha Condé's third term the dubious management of the election in Sierra Leone the careful drafting of Nigérien election rules to shut the charismatic challenger Hama Amadou out of the 2020-21 presidential race or the jailing of opposition challengers in Benin or opposition activists in Senegal (AC Vol 65 No 4 The region on the rack)...

The case that exemplified the bloc's shortcomings was Guinea whose first ever democratically elected head of state Alpha Condé escaped without serious sanction after rigging a referendum to change the constitution to allow a third term and then manipulated the election that then awarded him this new mandate...

Also on prominent display is the new school built on the land where soon after seizing power the ruling Comité national du rassemblement pour le développement (CNRD) junta demolished the house of Cellou Dalein Diallo opponent of both military regimes and former President Alpha Condé and still one of the most powerful challengers if Guinea holds the elections promised for late 2024...

There are no military or insurgent threats and since the junta's men were mainly used by President Alpha Condé as public order troops they have little to fear from the street...

Human rights groups and victims' associations have welcomed the trial made possible by the removal of former president Alpha Condé who protected some of the main suspects (including Tiegboro) as they were part of his security system (AC Vol 53 No 4 Condé takes on the army and opposition)...

It was no coincidence that the Front nationale pour la défense de la constitution chose 5 September the day of the first anniversary of the coup that toppled President Alpha Condé to stage another demonstration against the military junta of Lieutenant-Colonel Mamady Doumbouya...

The FNDC - which organised street protests against deposed President Alpha Condé after he changed the constitution to stand for a third term – says that the junta is acting in violation of its own Transitional Charter the road map for the return to democratic rule...

Most prominent among them are three minsters who have been in prison since early April: Ibrahim Kassory Fofana the last Prime Minister under ousted President Alpha Condé; former Defence Minister Mohamed Diané whose row with Colonel Mamady Doumbouya constituted the genesis of the 5 September coup (AC Vol 62 No 18 Sidelined legionnaire grabs the reins); and former Environment Minister Oyé Guilavogui...

They are accused of helping Presidents Faure Gnassingbé of Togo and Alpha Condé of Guinea in their election campaigns in 2010 in return for special favours in their country's major ports...

This is documented in evidence from the French prosecutor's investigation of Bolloré's alleged bribery of Faure in 2010 and the Guinean President Alpha Condé...