[citation needed] In 1998, Sylla bought an arms importer and was awarded the contract to supply the Guinean Army.
Sylla was subsequently awarded a large number of government contracts, becoming recognised as Guinea's richest man.
[3] As Sylla was an extremely controversial figure, the decision to make him Honorary President of the PUP was viewed as surprising by many.
Conté died after a long illness in December 2008 and the military immediately seized power in a coup d'état, expressing a firm intention to crack down on corruption.
Sylla did so, while complaining about the soldiers' methods; he said that there had been no need to enter the compound by force—"the door [was] wide open"—and that his aides had been frightened.