Lansana Conte’ leads a coup that deposes Guinea’s interim government

Lansana Conte’ was the second president of Guinea.  On 3 April 1984, a week after the death of President Ahmed Sékou Touré, Conte’ who was a Lieutenant in the army at the time, toppled the government just hours before a new leader was to be chosen. Two days later, he was proclaimed president of Guinea. Conte’ was president of Guinea up until his death in 2008. His regime survived a few coup attempts and he once narrowly escaped an assassination attempt.  His death was due to a long illness, of which the details were never disclosed.