He had been wanted since last summer by French justice, in the investigation into extortion targeting Paul Pogba. Adama Camara, a close friend of the footballer, was arrested on Sunday then indicted and imprisoned on Monday. Confirming information from Parisian and JDDa judicial source told AFP that “an individual targeted by an arrest warrant from the investigating judge had been arrested” on Sunday.
He was “presented to the investigating magistrate on Monday” and “the latter indicted him on the counts of extortion in an organized gang committed with a weapon, arrest, kidnapping, sequestration or arbitrary detention committed in an organized gang […] followed by a release before the seventh day and participation in a criminal conspiracy,” according to the judicial source.
Adama Camara was remanded in custody. A source familiar with the matter indicated that the arrest was made on his return from Dubai. The lawyer Me Louise Hennon indicates that her client “firmly disputes the facts of which he is accused”. “Pre-trial detention does not appear justified,” she said.
A leading role in the sequestration?
Brother of another defendant, Boubacar, Adama Camara belongs to the half-dozen people suspected of having participated in an extortion attempt denounced by the footballer of Juventus of Turin. Paul Pogba told French investigators that he was trapped by childhood friends and two hooded men, armed with assault rifles, who blamed him for not having helped them financially.
According to elements of the investigation, the 2018 world champion indicated that Adama Camara would have had, like another defendant, a leading role in his kidnapping on the night of March 19 to 20.
Pogba had denounced in a complaint filed with the Turin public prosecutor’s office in July extortion amounting to 13 million euros between March and July 2022. Of the 13 million euros claimed, he said he had paid 100,000 euros. A judicial investigation was opened in Paris on September 2. Six people, including Mathias Pogba, brother of Paul, are now indicted in this case. At least three were released.