The son of a former president of Guinea-Bissau, Malam Bacai Sanha Jr, has been sent to prison in the United States.

In July 2022, he and a co-conspirator were arrested after arriving in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, and they were extradited to the United States shortly afterwards.

In September 2023, Sanha pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance for unlawful importation.

According to the statement released by the US Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, “Malam Bacai Sanha Jr, planned to use the proceeds to finance a coup in the West African country that would lead to his eventual presidency and establishment of a drugs regime.”

Also, the special agent in charge of the FBI Houston, Douglas Williams, said, “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.”

Guinea-Bissau has a history of military coups interspersed with periods of democratic rule, though elected leaders have managed to serve a full term since the country gained independence from Portugal in 1974.

Sanha’s father, Malam Bacai Sanha, was initially installed by a junta as interim leader in 1999 before he lost the election the following year.

He won the presidency in a 2009 election but died while seeking medical treatment in Paris in January 2012 before completing his term.

His son, known as “Bacaizinho” in Guinea-Bissau, has served in several government roles, including his father’s economic advisor.