Chad Ex-Prime Minister Succes Masra ‘sentenced’ to 20 years in prison

Former Prime Minister of Chad and opposition leader, Succes Masra, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of disseminating racist and xenophobic messages, consequently inciting violence.

His lawyer confirmed this news to Reuters on Saturday.

As a staunch opponent of the current President of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Deby, he also served as prime minister in the interim government of Deby about five months prior to running against him in the May 2024 election.

An investigation was launched into the allegations against him by Chad’s Prosecutor due to a clash that claimed the lives of dozens in the southern town of Mandakao earlier in May.

Apart from the 20-year prison sentence, Masra was also ordered by the court to pay a 1 billion CFA franc ($1.8 million) fine, according to one of his lawyers, Kadjilembaye Francis.

The lawyers ,however, revealed they were going to appeal the judgment.