Guinea: Minister of Infrastructure & Transport fired over alleged corruption

Guinea President Mamady Doumbouya has sacked the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Yaya Sow, under investigation since November 7 over alleged corruption attempt in his department.

A statement read on the national TV RTG announcing the firing said the move was taken because of the launch of a judicial investigation by the Court of Repression of Economic and Financial Offences (CRIEF).

Sow is fired because linked to “a scurrilous case of alleged corruption attempt on public contracts,” Local media, africaguinée.com notes.

The minister has been suspended since November 7 by Prime Minister Bernard Goumou.

Doumbouya fired seven other officials from Sow’s department, also allegedly involved in the corruption attempt. The eight according to the Minister of Justice and Human Rights Alphonse Charles Wright are referred to Conakry Public prosecutor on charges of corruption, misappropriation of public funds and complicity in the award of public contracts.

Doumbouya early this week ordered Gomou to audit the spending of the national budget after the country suffered a deficit of $833 million.

A statement from the cabinet said the President of the West African country wants to correct the shortcomings and failures noted in the management of the State’s assets, in order to put an end to old habits that persist in several places.

State audit bodies, namely General State Inspection (IGE) and General Inspection of Finance (IGF), have been instructed to take actions in coming days.
Guinea is plagued by corruption and poor state institutions management. The West African country ranks 150th of least corruption countries out of 180 on 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International.