Liberia: Arrest of Alleged Coup Plotter Triggers Tension With Guinea, Family Fears for Safety
Monrovia – Concerns over national security have escalated following the recent arrest of Guinean national Khalif Cherif by Liberian joint security forces. Cherif was detained on allegations of planning subversive activities against the Guinean junta and seeking refuge in Liberia.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.Koinyeneh @frontpageafricaonline.com
Former Associate Justice Kabina Ja’neh, acting as Cherif’s attorney, has accused the Unity Party government of “kidnapping” his client, claiming that Cherif’s current whereabouts remain unknown. According to Ja’neh, there is suspicion that Cherif may have been handed over to Guinean authorities without due legal process. The arrest has raised diplomatic tensions between Liberia and Guinea, with Guinea accusing Liberia of harboring individuals intending on destabilizing its leadership.
Reports indicate that Cherif was apprehended at the Monrovia Central Prison after security personnel were notified of his entry from Guinea. Allegedly, Cherif was recruiting former combatants in Liberia with intentions to challenge the junta government in Guinea. His family members in both countries are reportedly worried for his safety and unsure of his exact location.
Liberian security sources confirmed to FrontPageAfrica that Cherif, a non-Liberian national, was indeed handed over to Guinean authorities. Despite Ja’neh’s claim that Cherif is a Liberian citizen who should be tried under Liberian law, a copy of Cherif’s passport indicates that he is a Guinean born in Lola, Guinea.
The Guinean junta has also accused former President Alpha Condé, who is in exile, of recruiting mercenaries in Liberia for an alleged coup attempt. According to Guinean authorities, several recruits have been apprehended and returned to Guinea for prosecution. However, beyond Cherif, FrontPageAfrica has not verified whether other Guineans have been extradited by Liberia. Questions remain about whether any deportations were conducted in accordance with legal protocols.
This is a developing story; more details will follow.
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