afrol News, 26 February - The son of the late President Lansana Conte, who was arrested earlier this week, has allegedly made a confession on the state TV, to being part of drug trafficking syndicate that is rocking the west African state today.

Ousmane Conte has reportedly admitted to being an operative in the drug cartel in the country but has however revealed that he is not the leader of the ring, further saying that he recognised his error in forming part of the drug trafficking group.

“Everyone who knows me, knows I'm not a liar. It's true that I am mixed up in this drugs business, but I'm not the ringleader,” he said on TV.

Mr Conte was arrested after Saturin Bangoura, the brother of the late president's wife Henriette, also confessed on state television on Monday to receiving thousands of dollars and goods from Colombia.

Mr Conte’s alleged confession has however raised a number of questions amongst human rights groups and activists wondering if the confession was voluntary or if Mr Conte and others were coerced by the military junta.

Police sources said Mr Conte was also linked to the August 2008 probe of a small plane carrying cocaine from neighbouring Guinea-Bissau that landed in Boke, 300 kilometres north of Conakry.

The Guinean military tried to seize the plane but failed and the affair led to the sacking of a number of local and regional officials.

The army officers led by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara who seized power when President Conte died in December, after ruling the country for 24 years, said they intended to punish the corruption associated with the illegal drugs trade. They have also vowed to give the arrested officials a fair trial, as a way of winning the international community support.

Guinea, like rest of the West African states, is known to be a transit point for smuggling drugs from Latin America to markets in Europe.

Drugs have become a general security issue in the region with narco-dollars altering already weak economies of the region and also threatening democratic institutions according to the United Nation.

United Nations estimates that at least 50 tonnes of cocaine are shipped through the West African region every year.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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