Guinean court acquits police colonel in 2009 stadium massacre case

A Guinean court has acquitted a police colonel charged over the 2009 stadium massacre, a ruling that is expected to reignite debate over accountability for one of the country’s darkest chapters.

Colonel Bienvenu Lamah, a military police officer who had been in custody since November 2022, was cleared of charges including complicity in abuse of authority, murder, abduction and unlawful detention. The court ordered his immediate release.

Prosecutors had sought a 10-year prison sentence, while lawyers representing victims said they would appeal the verdict.

The September 28, 2009 crackdown took place when security forces stormed an opposition rally at a stadium in the capital, Conakry.

A United Nations-mandated commission of inquiry found that at least 156 people were killed, hundreds were injured, and more than 100 women were raped. Human rights groups say the true death toll was likely much higher.

The acquittal comes two years after Guinea’s landmark massacre trial, in which former military ruler Moussa Dadis Camara was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was later pardoned by junta leader Mamady Doumbouya in March 2025.

Seven other defendants received prison sentences ranging from several years to life imprisonment, while three military suspects remain fugitives.

For survivors and victims’ families, the case remains a symbol of the long struggle for justice, nearly 17 years after the massacre.