Gambia News : Guinea Bissau 'coupist' arrested in Gambia

Dec 05,2008 00:00 by Anna

Alexandre Ntchama Yala, the suspected brain behind the 23 November coup attempt against Guinea-Bissau President Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira, was arrested in Gambia Tuesday by police authorities, the spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, Armando Nhaga, told a news conference here Wednesday.

According to Nhaga, Yala will soon be extradited to Guinea-Bissau in accordance with the arrest warrant issued by judicial authorities.

Alfredo Malu, former director general of the State Intelligence Services, was also arrested in connection with the coup attempt, Nhaga added, saying the authors of the coup attempt were eight in number.

"Any demonstration is forbidden until further notice due to the situation of insecurity that prevails in the country," the spokesman said.

In the meantime, the Investigation Commission in charge of the failed putsch is still conducting its investigations with the other suspects already behind bars.