In a decisive legal ruling, Chad’s Supreme Court in N’Djamena has rejected the appeal filed by attorneys for former Prime Minister Succès Masra, cementing his 20-year prison sentence tied to deadly clashes in Mandakao.
The court’s decision, delivered on May 21, 2026, closes the door on further domestic appeals, upholding the August 2025 verdict from the Criminal Court. That earlier ruling convicted Masra on charges including “dissemination of racist and xenophobic messages,” “criminal association,” and “complicity in murder.”
The case centers on a 2023 statement by Masra, which prosecutors argued incited intercommunal violence in Mandakao in May 2025. Security was visibly tightened around the Supreme Court during the hearing, with police and military personnel restricting access despite the session’s public nature.
With all national legal avenues exhausted, Masra’s legal team may now pursue avenues in regional or international courts. Supporters of the opposition leader have condemned the proceedings as politically motivated. “We remain hopeful that a political resolution can be reached,” stated Claudia Hoinathy, a senior figure in the Les Transformateurs party.