Chad’s former prime minister and main opposition figure, Succès Masra, has been handed a 20-year prison sentence after a special criminal chamber in N’Djamena found him guilty of inciting deadly communal violence that claimed more than 40 lives in May.
Court ruling and heavy penalties
Masra, who leads the Les Transformateurs (“The Transformers”) party, was convicted of hate speech, xenophobia, and inciting a massacre. The court also fined him CFA1 billion (about $1.8 million). Prosecutors had sought an even harsher penalty — 25 years behind bars, asset seizures, and higher compensation.
Defence cries foul
Masra has rejected the charges outright, calling the case politically motivated. His legal team argued that prosecutors failed to provide concrete evidence linking him to the violence.
“This ruling is an act of ignominy and unworthy humiliation,” said defence lawyer Francis Kadjilembaye, vowing to appeal.
Violence that shook Logone Occidental
The charges stem from inter-communal clashes in Logone Occidental province on May 14, in which 42 people were killed. Masra was arrested two days later along with 74 others. In July, he went on a hunger strike to protest his detention, calling it unjust, before ending it after a women-led protest demanded his release.
Political tensions deepen
Masra contested the May 2024 presidential election against incumbent Mahamat Idriss Déby but lost. His conviction is expected to further inflame concerns among human rights groups and foreign observers about political freedoms and the independence of Chad’s judiciary.
