Guinea president’s top aide says he shot the junta leader to restore democracy

Guinea soldier: I shot the president

CONAKRY, Guinea — Guinea’s former presidential guard chief says he shot the president because the junta leader wanted him to take the blame for a bloody massacre in September.

Lt. Abubakar “Toumba” Diakite told Radio France International on Wednesday in his first recorded comments since the assassination attempt that he shot Capt. Moussa “Dadis” Camara on Dec. 3 because the junta leader betrayed the democracy of the West African nation. Diakite has since been at large.

Diakite says Camara ordered the Sept. 28 massacre at a pro-democracy rally where a human rights group says 157 people were killed. Camara has in the past blamed Diakite for the massacre.

Camara is convalescing in Morocco and has not spoken publicly since, leading many to speculate he is incapacitated.