Chad supreme court upholds 20-year sentence for Succès Masra

In N’Djamena, the Supreme Court of Chad has officially dismissed the final appeal lodged by the legal team of former Prime Minister Succès Masra. This judicial conclusion makes his 20-year prison sentence definitive regarding the fatal unrest in Mandakao.

The former head of government and leader of the Les Transformateurs party, Succès Masra, has seen his 20-year prison term confirmed without further possibility of domestic appeal. On Thursday, May 21, the Supreme Court in N’Djamena rejected the cassation request submitted by his lawyers, effectively ending his legal options within the national court system.

The political figure was originally sentenced last August by the Criminal Court on several counts, including the “spreading of racist and xenophobic messages,” “criminal association,” and “complicity in murder.” The prosecution’s case focused on a message shared in 2023, which investigators identified as a catalyst for the violent inter-ethnic clashes that occurred in Mandakao in May 2025.

During the hearing, the area surrounding the Supreme Court was placed under tight surveillance. Large numbers of police and military personnel were stationed to control access to the building, despite the session being open to the public.

Now that all internal legal remedies have been exhausted, Succès Masra may only seek relief through international or sub-regional judicial institutions. His supporters continue to argue that the proceedings were politically driven. “We remain hopeful that a political solution can be reached,” stated Claudia Hoinathy, a high-ranking official within the Les Transformateurs party.