Guinea-Bissau court orders release of four accused in alleged coup attempt

Guinea-Bissau's Supreme Court on Friday ordered four men accused of involvement in an alleged coup attempt to be released from pre-trial detention at a military prison.

The court said the men had never been formally named as suspects. It also said prosecutors had not officially questioned them before requesting their pre-trial detention.

The four men, including alleged mastermind General Daba Na Walna, had spent more than six months in detention over their alleged role in a late October coup attempt. Na Walna was a high-ranking officer and was director-general of the military training centre when he was arrested.

Defence lawyers said evidence against their clients had been obtained through torture.

Opposition leader Domingos Simoes Pereira, who is also accused of involvement in the October coup attempt, left prison Thursday after being allowed to seek medical treatment in Portugal.

In October, the army said it had stopped an attempt to subvert the constitutional order and arrested several senior military officers. One month later, the army seized power days after a presidential election, overthrowing president Umaro Sissoco Embalo and suspending the electoral process.

Guinea-Bissau has had five coups and several attempted overthrows since independence in 1974.