By Claude Pivi, a former senior military officer and Guinea’s most wanted fugitive, has been extradited from neighboring Liberia, Guinean officials announced Thursday.
Pivi, a former colonel, had been on the run since a high-profile prison escape in November. He was arrested in Liberia on Tuesday, according to Yaya Kairaba Kaba, Guinea’s Minister of Justice.
The fugitive was a key figure in the regime of former dictator Moussa Dadis Camara, who ruled Guinea from 2008 to 2010. Pivi had been sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity related to his involvement in the 2009 stadium massacre in Conakry.
On September 28, 2009, at least 157 people were killed and dozens of women raped when soldiers opened fire on demonstrators at a stadium. The protesters had gathered to oppose then-military leader Camara’s plans to run for president.
Human Rights Watch reported that Camara’s top aides, including Pivi, were present at the stadium and did nothing to stop the massacre. Witnesses described horrific scenes of people being shot, crushed, or stabbed to death, while women were dragged from hiding places and gang-raped by uniformed men over several days.
The junta at the time claimed that “uncontrolled” elements of the army had carried out the atrocities. However, evidence pointed to the involvement of high-ranking officials like Pivi.
Pivi’s extradition marks a significant development in Guinea’s efforts to address past human rights abuses and hold those responsible accountable. The case has been closely watched by international human rights organizations and victims’ families seeking justice for the 2009 massacre.
As Guinea continues to grapple with its turbulent political past, Pivi’s return to face justice represents a step towards reconciliation and accountability in the West African nation.
