Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoko Embalo sacked Bakari Biai as Attorney General of the Republic on Tuesday and appointed former Interior Minister Edmundo Mendez to the post, the Guinean presidency announced.
“This is Mr. Bakari Biay, relieved of the post of Attorney General of the Republic, to which he was appointed by Presidential Decree No. 70/2021 of November 20,” the presidium note reads.
Bakary Biay took office in November 2021, replacing the current Minister of Territorial Administration, Fernando Gomes, who resigned for personal reasons.
Bakary Biai was director of the Judicial Police of Guinea-Bissau and President of the Union of Prosecutors. He had already been appointed Attorney General of the Republic by the former head of the Guinean state, José Mario Vas.
Edmundo Mendez, who was appointed to this post on Tuesday, is a professor of criminal law at the Faculty of Law of Bissau, having previously served as Attorney General of the Republic, as well as being Minister of the Interior and National Director of the Judicial Police.
Civil society in Guinea-Bissau has already demanded the resignation of Bakari Biai so that his alleged involvement in the drug trafficking case can be investigated.
Bakari Biay denied any involvement in drug trafficking and considered himself capable of remaining in office as he was not involved in any illegal activities.
It is about the alleged diversion of cocaine by officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The cocaine was seized in September by the police information and criminal investigation department of the Public Order Police.
According to the civil society, “audio recordings and compromising investigation reports on criminal drug trafficking networks in Guinea-Bissau were published on social networks, with the alleged involvement of the highest hierarchs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor General’s Office.”
In a statement, civil society also warned Guinean President Oumaro Sissoko Embalo of “the grave consequences of his inaction in the face of this sad and disgraceful case for Guinea-Bissau’s image and reputation in the concert of nations.”
Earlier this week, the Union of State Ministry Magistrates also denounced alleged allegations that “show the involvement of certain State Ministry magistrates from top to bottom” in the drug diversion, stressing that they damage the organism’s “good image and prestige.”
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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