Guinea's Ex-junta Leader Testifies About 2009 Massacre, Pleads Innocence

Africa News and Agencies

GUINEA

Guinea's former strongman Moussa Dadis Camara denied responsibility when he took the stand Monday (Dec. 12) at a trial of former officials allegedly involved in a 2009 massacre.

Camara said he was sleeping during the early hours of the attack. Adding he was eventually awoken at 11 a.m. when he was then told that demonstrators had been killed.

The former captain in his fifties is one of 11 men charged for the Sept. 28, 2009 stadium attack in which security forces fired at unarmed demonstrators protesting the junta leader's plans to run for president.

The bloodbath killed 156 people and at least 109 women were raped by pro-junta forces at the rally in Conakry.

At the time, Camara had been in power for almost a year.

His deposition was a key moment, Proceedings in the trial were postponed until Monday from a week ago after Camara said he was too ill to give testimony.

He is charged with "personal criminal responsibility and command responsibility".