Guinea-Bissau: Military Judge Overturns Supreme Court Ruling
In a move that has deepened the judicial and political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, a regional judge has sensationally overturned a Supreme Court ruling that would have freed several high-profile figures accused of a 2025 coup attempt.
Jurisdictional Clash Over Coup Suspects
Judge Mamadu Embaló of the Bissau Regional Military Court issued an order today declaring the Supreme Court of Justice’s previous decision “null and void.” The Supreme Court had recently annulled the preventive detention of General Daba Na Walna, the former president of the Superior Military Court, and three others held since October 2025.
The suspects—including three military officers and one civilian—stand accused of plotting to overthrow the government just weeks before a separate, successful military coup actually ousted the administration on November 26, 2025. Judge Embaló argued that the Supreme Court overstepped its authority, claiming that appeals regarding military court decisions must first pass through the Superior Military Court before ever reaching the highest civil bench.
High-Stakes Political Fallout
The judicial tug-of-war has significant implications for Domingos Simões Pereira, the leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). Pereira was named a suspect in June for allegedly financing the failed October plot—a charge his supporters dismiss as politically motivated.
Shortly after the Supreme Court initially ruled the detentions void, Pereira’s defense team argued the decision should apply to him as well, effectively clearing his name. However, Judge Embaló’s latest reversal effectively reinstates the legal pressure on these figures as the country remains under military-led rule.
A Nation in Transition
The legal battle unfolds against a backdrop of intense political instability. Guinea-Bissau is currently governed by a Military High Command that seized power in November 2025, ousting President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and arresting Pereira. Despite being ousted, opposition members allege that Sissoco Embaló remains the “shadow” power behind the current military junta.
As the military prepares for a constitutional referendum on August 30 and new elections scheduled for December 6, the court’s decision ensures that key opposition figures remain entangled in the legal system. The proposed constitution seeks to significantly expand the powers of the Head of State, a move critics view as a consolidation of authoritarian rule.
Coverage of these events is currently being conducted remotely, as the delegation of the Lusa news agency in Guinea-Bissau remains suspended following the government’s expulsion of Portuguese media representatives last year.
Image: Pexels – Helena Jankovičová Kováčová
