Mohamed Lamine Sanha
Encyclopedia
Mohamed Lamine Sanha was a Bissau-Guinean
Naval Chief of Staff. Sanha was implicated in several attempted coups
against the government of Guinea-Bissau. Sanha was an ally of Ansumane Mané
, who led the military rebellion against President Nino Vieira in the 1998 civil war
.
Sanha was part of the military junta that ousted Vieira. Subsequently, as head of the navy, he released a South Korea
n ship that had been held on April 18, 2000 for fishing in Guinea-Bissau's waters without permission; he said that he was prepared to face the consequences of this decision. On April 28, 2000 he was dismissed from his post as head of the navy by President Kumba Yala. He refused to leave his post, however, saying that only the armed forces chief of staff could dismiss him. Yala and Mané met to discuss the issue on May 23, and they decided that Sanha should leave the naval base he was occupying and wait for a court to rule on his case; Yala agreed to postpone the appointment of a replacement for Sanha indefinitely. Sanha accordingly left the base on May 26. When fighting broke out between the government and forces loyal to Mané in November 2000, leading to Mané's death, Sanha was arrested by the government and Quirino Spencer was appointed to replace him as naval chief of staff in early 2001.
Sanha and former Army Deputy Chief of Staff Almane Alam Camará were accused of leading a coup attempt that was alleged to have occurred on December 3, 2001 and were arrested. After Tagme Na Wai became Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, he announced the reintegration of 65 senior officers into the military, including Sanha, on December 1, 2004; Na Wai appointed Sanha as his naval advisor.
Accused of plotting to kill Na Wai and attempt another coup, Sanha was briefly detained in August 2006. According to Sanha, he received death threats. On January 4, 2007, Sanha was shot outside his home in Bissau
by men said to have been wearing civilian clothing. He eventually died of his wounds on 6 January, sparking riots
. In a statement on January 8, the government condemned Sanha's killing and vowed to capture those responsible, but former Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior
, the President of PAIGC, accused President Vieira of involvement in the murder; as a result, the government issued an arrest warrant for Gomes.
Following Sanha's assassination, two suspects in the murder, Bubacar Seidi dit Imba Seidi and Dauda Tcham, were arrested. They have denied guilt.
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
Naval Chief of Staff. Sanha was implicated in several attempted coups
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
against the government of Guinea-Bissau. Sanha was an ally of Ansumane Mané
Ansumane Mané
Ansumane Mané was a Guinea-Bissau soldier who led a 1998 uprising against the government of President João Bernardo Vieira, which caused a brief, but bloody Civil War....
, who led the military rebellion against President Nino Vieira in the 1998 civil war
Guinea-Bissau Civil War
The Guinea-Bissau Civil War was triggered by an attempted coup d'état against the government of President João Bernardo Vieira led by Brigadier-General Ansumane Mané in June 1998...
.
Sanha was part of the military junta that ousted Vieira. Subsequently, as head of the navy, he released a South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n ship that had been held on April 18, 2000 for fishing in Guinea-Bissau's waters without permission; he said that he was prepared to face the consequences of this decision. On April 28, 2000 he was dismissed from his post as head of the navy by President Kumba Yala. He refused to leave his post, however, saying that only the armed forces chief of staff could dismiss him. Yala and Mané met to discuss the issue on May 23, and they decided that Sanha should leave the naval base he was occupying and wait for a court to rule on his case; Yala agreed to postpone the appointment of a replacement for Sanha indefinitely. Sanha accordingly left the base on May 26. When fighting broke out between the government and forces loyal to Mané in November 2000, leading to Mané's death, Sanha was arrested by the government and Quirino Spencer was appointed to replace him as naval chief of staff in early 2001.
Sanha and former Army Deputy Chief of Staff Almane Alam Camará were accused of leading a coup attempt that was alleged to have occurred on December 3, 2001 and were arrested. After Tagme Na Wai became Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, he announced the reintegration of 65 senior officers into the military, including Sanha, on December 1, 2004; Na Wai appointed Sanha as his naval advisor.
Accused of plotting to kill Na Wai and attempt another coup, Sanha was briefly detained in August 2006. According to Sanha, he received death threats. On January 4, 2007, Sanha was shot outside his home in Bissau
Bissau
Bissau is the capital city of Guinea-Bissau. The city's borders are conterminous with the Bissau Autonomous Sector. In 2007, the city had an estimated population of 407,424 according to the Instituto Nacional de Estatística e Censos...
by men said to have been wearing civilian clothing. He eventually died of his wounds on 6 January, sparking riots
Guinea-Bissau riot, 2007
The Guinea-Bissau riot of 2007 was a protest by Bissauan civilians in the Bairro Militar District of the capital, Bissau. The district is a suburb of the city. It was staged against the murder of former Navy chief, Mohamed Lamine Sanha. The police opened fire on the protesters, killing one man....
. In a statement on January 8, the government condemned Sanha's killing and vowed to capture those responsible, but former Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior
Carlos Gomes Júnior
Carlos Domingos Gomes Júnior is the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau. He was previously Prime Minister from 10 May 2004 to 2 November 2005, and he was again appointed to that post on 25 December 2008...
, the President of PAIGC, accused President Vieira of involvement in the murder; as a result, the government issued an arrest warrant for Gomes.
Following Sanha's assassination, two suspects in the murder, Bubacar Seidi dit Imba Seidi and Dauda Tcham, were arrested. They have denied guilt.