Sao Tome and Principe PM says failed coup attempt

A coup attempt failed on Thursday night in Sao Tome and Principe, a small island nation which is a model of parliamentary democracy in Africa, Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada said.

Four men, including the former president of the outgoing national assembly Delfim Neves and a former military officer who had already attempted a coup in 2009, were arrested and tried to attack the army headquarters, Trovoada said in a video authenticated and sent to AFP in Libreville by Justice Minister Ilsa Maria dos Santos Amado Vaz.

The head of government, who appears seated at a desk with tired features, wearing a T-shirt under a raincoat, was keen to “reassure” the population and “the international community”.

“There was an attempted coup d’état which began around 00.40 and ended shortly after 6 am, The armed forces were attacked in a barracks. he said.