Ex-President’s Son Sentenced in US for Drug Trafficking Linked to Coup Conspiracy.

By Caroline Ameh

Malam Bacai Sanha Jr, the 52-year-old son of Guinea-Bissau’s former president, has been handed a prison term exceeding six years by a US court. The verdict follows his involvement in an intricate heroin trafficking network with alleged ties to a coup plot.

Sanha Jr, son of Malam Bacai Sanha who led Guinea-Bissau from 2009 until his demise in 2012, faced accusations of spearheading the drug ring. Authorities claim the proceeds were earmarked to bankroll a coup aimed at seizing power in the West African nation.

The case against Sanha Jr unfolded after a foiled coup attempt in February 2022, leading to his arrest in Tanzania. He was subsequently extradited to the US in August 2022 and stood trial for conspiring to illegally import drugs, to which he pleaded guilty in September of the same year.

FBI agent Douglas Williams shed light on the gravity of Sanha Jr’s actions, stating, “Malam Bacai Sanha Jr wasn’t any ordinary international drug trafficker. He is the son of the former president of Guinea-Bissau and was trafficking drugs for a very specific reason – to fund a coup that would eventually lead him to the presidency of his native country where he planned to establish a drug regime.”

Considering Sanha Jr’s non-American citizenship, authorities are contemplating his potential deportation following his incarceration.

In Guinea-Bissau, Sanha Jr, also known as “Bacaizinho,” held various governmental roles, including economic adviser during his father’s tenure.

Reports suggest that Sanha Jr confessed to personal involvement in the 2022 coup attempt aimed at toppling President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, resulting in 11 fatalities, primarily among security forces.

According to sources, Sanha Jr admitted to using drug profits to bolster the coup plotters, as reported by German state-owned broadcaster Deutsche Welle last year.