Guinea-Bissau
Another ex-military leader sentenced in Guinea-Bissau

afrol News, 13 August - Lamine Sanhá, the former chief of staff of the navy of Guinea-Bissau, yesterday was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for his participation in a coup attempt in November 2000. The Bissau High Court found Sanhá of collaborating "closely and directly" with the coup makers. 

The court holds it has proof that Sanhá had participated in the planning of the attempted military coup against the government of civilian President Kumba Yala on 22 and 23 November 2000. The coup was led by former junta leader, General Ansumane Mané, who led and attack against the capital, Bissau, but was defeated by loyal troops after two days of fierce fighting. Mané himself was killed on 30 November by loyalist forces tracking him down in the western mangroves.

Lamine Sanhá was among the first military heads to be arrested in November 2000, even as the fighting was still going on. He was arrested and held incommunicado for weeks, along with several prominent opposition leaders. The civilian prisoners were however freed later. 

Only three weeks ago, in the main court case against the collaborators of General Mané, six ex-military leaders were condemned to prison terms of up to eight years. The former high-ranking militaries had participated directly in the attacks on the government in Bissau. None of them however received as heavy sentences as Lamine Sanhá. 

Sanhá denies he is guilty of participation in the coup attempt. His defence lawyer has already appealed the sentence to the Supreme Court of Justice. 

Meanwhile, the Bissauan Parliament is evaluating the possibility of an amnesty for those involved in the political and military turmoil of the country over the last decade. While the President has suggested an amnesty for the alleged 2001 coup plotters, the opposition parties however favour a wider amnesty, including all political and military crimes committed since 1980. The Parliament is the only institution with powers to grant an amnesty in Guinea-Bissau. 

Sources: Based on afrol archives and press reports

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