US places $5m bounty on Guinea-Bissau’s former coup leader, Antonio Indjai

The United States of America on Thursday placed a $5 million bounty for the arrest of Guinea-Bissau’s former coup leader, Antonio Indjai, wanted for alleged drug trafficking on behalf of Colombia’s FARC rebels.

US prosecutors had filed charges against Indjai in 2013, alleging he had agreed to have stored tons of cocaine for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, with the money used to buy weapons for the rebels and pay off officials in Guinea-Bissau.

A statement by the State Department read, “Indjai was seen as one of the most powerful destabilizing figures in Guinea-Bissau, operating freely throughout West Africa, using illegal proceeds to corrupt and destabilize other foreign governments and undermine the rule of law throughout the region.”

Read also: Guinea-Bissau President sacks govt

It offered a $5 million reward for any information that would lead to his arrest or conviction.

Indjai as former army chief of staff staged a coup in 2012 between rounds of presidential elections in the West African country.

His coup was followed by a democratic transition and he was removed as army chief in 2014.

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