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A military court in Guinea-Bissau has ordered the detention of opposition leader Domingos Simões Pereira, as he faces allegations linked to an attempt to overthrow the previous government.
Pereira, who leads the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), was taken into custody on Friday after appearing before a military court in the capital, Bissau. A security source told AFP that the judge informed him of the decision to place him in prison shortly after his arrival.
“Upon his arrival, the military court judge informed him of the decision to imprison him,” the source said, adding that the process happened within minutes.
“It all happened in a matter of minutes. He was escorted to prison by heavily armed rapid-response police officers wearing balaclavas,” the source added.
Pereira was first detained after the military removed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo from power on November 26 last year. He was released in January but remained under house arrest in Bissau until Friday’s court decision.
The opposition leader has been accused of involvement in an alleged October 2025 coup attempt, including claims that he helped finance the plot. He also faces accusations related to financial crimes and an earlier alleged coup attempt in 2023. Both cases occurred during Embalo’s presidency before his government was overthrown.
Members of Pereira’s legal team have rejected the proceedings, describing them as outside the legal framework. Lawyer Roberto Indeque said the defence team boycotted the hearing because they had not been informed about Pereira’s appearance before the judge.
“We, his lawyers, decided to boycott the hearing by refusing to appear, on the grounds that the proceedings were taking place outside the legal framework and that we had not even been informed of our client’s appearance before the judge,” Indeque said on local radio.
Pereira’s party and lawyers have dismissed the accusations as politically motivated, alleging that the case is intended to prevent him from contesting the presidential election scheduled for December 6.
Guinea-Bissau has experienced repeated political instability since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, with five successful coups and several attempted takeovers recorded. The country is currently governed by a military administration led by General Horta N’Tam.
