Defendant, identified as an opposition leader, faces potential 25-year imprisonment for allegedly inciting unrest
Chadian Court Sentences Former Prime Minister Success Masra to 20 Years in Prison
In a landmark trial, the Chadian court has sentenced former prime minister and opposition leader, Success Masra, to 20 years in prison and a fine of 1 billion CFA francs for his role in incitement[1][3][4][5]. The prosecutor general had initially sought a 25-year prison term, asset freezing, and a 5 billion West African Francs ($8.9 million) compensation payment to the state[2].
The charges against Masra and his co-defendants included incitement to hatred, incitement to revolt, complicity in murder, hate speech and xenophobia, forming and complicity with armed gangs, arson, and desecration of graves[1][2][3][5]. These charges relate to a deadly intercommunal clash in May 2025 in Logone Occidental, southwestern Chad, where violence between herders and farmers left between 35 and 42 people dead, mostly women and children[1][2][3][5].
Masra, along with around 67 co-defendants, mainly from his Ngambaye ethnic group, have denied the charges[1][2][5]. The trial has been a reflection of the political conflict between Masra and President Mahamat Déby, who took power in 2021 following the death of his father, Idriss Déby Itno, during fighting with rebels in Chad's north[1].
Human rights groups have criticized the trial as politically motivated, arguing it suppresses opposition[3]. Masra is the leader of the Les Transformateurs party, and most of the co-defendants are from the Ngambaye ethnic group. Mahamat Déby legitimized his presidency through an election earlier this year, which was opposed by Masra and his party[1].
After the proceedings, Kadjilembay Francis, Masra's lawyer, stated that they hope the criminal court will render justice on behalf of the Chadian people[1]. The verdict is a significant development in the ongoing political landscape of Chad.
References:
- BBC News
- Reuters
- Amnesty International
- Al Jazeera
- The Guardian
- The sentence handed down by the Chadian court, a 20-year imprisonment for Success Masra, comes amidst a backdrop of general news and politics, reflecting the ongoing conflicts between Masra and President Mahamat Déby.
- In addition to the charges of incitement, complicity in murder, and hate speech, Masra and his co-defendants also faced alleged criminal activities related to war-and-conflicts, such as forming and complicity with armed gangs, arson, and desecration of graves.
- While the court's decision is significant in the crime-and-justice landscape of Chad, human rights groups, including Amnesty International, claim that the trial is politically motivated, potentially suppressing opposition voices.
- As the leader of the Les Transformateurs party, Masra's trial has been closely followed by news outlets such as BBC News, Reuters, Al Jazeera, and The Guardian, with many observing the event as a critical test of Torontonian democracy and rule of law.
