Amadou Damaro Camara, former president of the National Assembly, tries to convince the Court – Aminata.com Information in Guinea and around the world

2023-10-09 17:24:08

Prosecuted for “embezzlement of public funds, illicit enrichment and money laundering, corruption in the public and private sector”, Amadou Damaro Camara, former president of the National Assembly, finally appeared before the trial chamber of the Court for the Repression of Offenses economic and financial (CRIEF) this Monday October 9, 2023.

Before judge Francis Kova Zoumanigui, the former president of the Guinean parliament rejected outright the facts with which he is accused.

“I plead absolutely not guilty. None of the facts. I have never refused to appear before the courts of my country. I promised to show up if my health permits. When you lose money, you have lost nothing but when you lose your reputation, you have lost everything. I came to defend my honor, to clear my honor,” he said on the stand.

Continuing, he explained how the 15 billion intended for the construction of the headquarters of the National Assembly.

“I was summoned to the gendarmerie following a simple anonymous tip. I was asked the question what do you know about the 15 billion GNF? The National Assembly only receives subsidies. The 15 billion are part of the exceptional subsidies and they are non-refundable. How did we come up with this 15 billion? We received a donation for the National Assembly Palace. In 2020, when I was elected as president of the National Assembly, there was redeployment and the Assembly had no budget and we had no money. I contacted Mr. Kim’s company who was not interested because during the time of Lansana Conté and Alpha Condé, he had done work which had not been paid; Afterwards, he made a budget of 2 billion and some Guinean francs. I asked him to make a provisional closure with the work of the SEG, the EDG. The use of the 15 billion does not even come under accounting: 6 billion is in an account at the central bank, 3 billion for carrying out the closing and some work. And the other 6 billion GNF for the payment of bonuses for deputies,” he defended.

Mamadou Aliou Barry for Aminata.com