By: Alphanso G. Kalama,
Email: alphansokalama@gmail.com
Monrovia, Liberia – Colonel Claude Pivi, the infamous fugitive convicted for his role in Guinea’s 2009 massacre, has reportedly been arrested in Liberia after months of evasion.
This development has raised huge concerns across neighboring Guinea, as the Liberian government remains tight-lipped about the details.
Pivi, the only key figure absent from a historic verdict in July where he was sentenced to life in prison, was apprehended in a village within Nimba near the border between Liberia and Guinea while trying to seek a medical attention. Sources furthered indicated that he was taken into custody in the Nimba region, a hotspot for cross-border activity.
Hence, there’s a conflicting report emerging about the timing of his arrest. Dansa Kourouma, president of Guinea’s National Transitional Council who has been informed about the unfolding, claims it occurred Tuesday evening, while a close source to the Liberian authorities suggests it happened two weeks earlier. In a twist, Pivi’s son, Verny Pivi, who allegedly masterminded his father’s escape is also reported arrested.
Further investigation has it that the Liberian government is closely arranging with Guinean government for Pivi’s extradition to Guinea.
Eyewitness photos circulating on social media depict a disheveled Pivi, underscoring the toll his fugitive life has taken on him.
Following his escape, a hefty bounty of 50,000 euros was placed on his head, but his capture now raises the stakes in the ongoing turmoil of Guinean politics.
As the world watches, all eyes are on the Liberian government, awaiting an official statement that could unveil more about this high-profile arrest and its implications for justice in Guinea.
