VZCZCXRO9536
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0013 0791532
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191532Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2296
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000013 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12598:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: POLICE ARREST AND DETAIN FRIEND OF THE PRESIDENT 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Guinea's judicial police arrested Mme Chantal Colle on 
March 18 reportedly for inflammatory remarks against the prime 
minister during a press conference at the Novotel on March 17. 
According to police contacts, three police officers brought Mme 
Colle to the Director of the Judicial Police yesterday where she was 
interrogated regarding certain allegations she had publicly made 
against the prime minister on Monday.  A press contact, who said he 
was at the Judicial Police office yesterday when Mme Colle was 
brought in, told POL LES that the Minister of Interior and Security, 
Beau Keita, personally arrested Colle and escorted her to the 
Judicial Police.  The same contact said that no formal charges had 
been filed.  Other contacts told RSO LES that Colle denied that she 
had said anything about the PM.  She is reportedly still being 
detained and is expected to be taken to court. 
 
¶2.  (U) The Monday press conference was reportedly organized for Mme 
Colle to comment on the second anniversary of her company Alo, which 
is partnering with telecommunications giant Areeba.  According to 
the press, Mme Colle commented extensively on Prime Minister 
Kouyate's failures, attributing ongoing economic and social problems 
to his poor leadership. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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¶3.  (SBU) Colle is a long-time close associate of President Conte's 
who is rumored to also be one of his ex-girlfriends.  She is wealthy 
with multiple business interests, but is more recently known for her 
partnership with the telecommunications company Areeba.  Colle is 
widely seen as a close associate not only of the president's, but 
also of former Secretary General Fode Bangorah, and is believed to 
have been involved in pushing for the arrest of controversial 
millionaire Mamadou Syllah in 2006.  She and Fode Bangorah were also 
seen as key elements behind the push to remove former prime minister 
Cellou Dalein Diallo, now the head of the Union Force Democratic 
Guinean (UFDG) opposition political party.  Chantal Colle left 
Guinea for Paris in January 2007 as the country's political 
situation deteriorated.  She only returned in January 2008 after 
President Conte was seen as reclaiming some of his previous power 
and influence following his sacking of Kouyate's communications 
minister.  Colle is of French and Guinean 
descent. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶4.  (SBU) The media, especially the internet, have been reporting 
widely on Mme Colle's arrest and there is much speculation as to 
what was said and what is happening.  She is a controversial 
personality on par with Mamadou Syllah and Fode Bangorah, and is 
unlikely to generate much popular support for her predicament. 
However, as a private citizen, she should generally be able to 
express her views in a public setting.  The exact circumstances of 
her arrest are unclear, but it is a case the Embassy will continue 
to monitor as it is likely to generate much controversy and possibly 
a reaction from the president's office, especially if the Minister 
of Interior is in fact personally responsible for her arrest.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
BROKENSHIRE