Conakry, Guinea – Mohamed Touré, the son of Guinea’s first president, Sékou Touré, has returned to Guinea after serving a seven-year sentence in the United States. Touré and his wife, Denise Cros-Touré, were convicted in 2019 for their involvement in a human trafficking case, in which they were accused of enslaving a young Guinean woman for 16 years in their Texas home.
The case, which gained significant media attention, highlighted severe human trafficking crimes. Authorities in the U.S. claimed that the couple subjected the victim, a young Guinean girl, to forced domestic labor, isolation, abuse, and unpaid work from childhood into adulthood. The couple was charged under U.S. human trafficking laws and sentenced to prison after their conviction.
The Guinean government confirmed Touré’s return, stating that the move followed extensive diplomatic negotiations between Guinea and the United States. However, official statements have not provided additional details on the terms of his return, nor have they outlined any restrictions he may face upon re-entering the country.
While Touré’s return is viewed by some in Guinea as a diplomatic victory, human rights organizations have raised concerns. They emphasize the need for stronger measures to protect vulnerable individuals from similar exploitation and trafficking in the region. Advocacy groups have urged the Guinean government to take further steps to combat trafficking and to ensure justice for victims.
Touré and Cros-Touré’s case remains a reminder of the ongoing issues surrounding human trafficking, and it has sparked conversations about both legal and social reforms needed to prevent such abuses in Guinea and beyond.
