Chad: Criminal Court Sentences Opposition Leader Succé Massara to 20 Years in Prison

SadaNews - The Criminal Court in Chad sentenced yesterday, Saturday, the leader of the "Transformers" party and prominent opposition figure, Succé Massara, to 20 years in prison, along with a fine of one billion Central African Francs, in a development reflecting the intensifying political crisis that has been plaguing the country for months.

The judgment came after a trial that began in early August during which Massara faced multiple charges, most notably the dissemination of racially inflammatory messages, incitement to rebellion, complicity in murder, as well as involvement in violent acts that resulted in the death of 76 people in the Mandako region in the south of the country.

The public prosecution had requested on August 8 harsher penalties of up to 25 years for Massara and 58 other defendants, along with a collective fine of 5 billion Central African Francs in favor of the state, along with freezing their assets.

Conversely, they recommended the acquittal of 9 other defendants due to insufficient evidence.

From Exile to the Dock

Succé Massara, who holds a PhD in economics from the University of Paris Pantheon-Sorbonne, previously held a high-ranking economic position at the African Development Bank before becoming one of the prominent faces of the opposition in Chad.

He returned to the country in 2024 under the Kinshasa agreements that ended his political exile, and as part of the transitional arrangements, he was later appointed Prime Minister.

However, he resigned on the eve of the presidential elections in May 2024, in which the current president, Mahamat Idriss Deby, won in the first round.

Since then, Massara has intensified his criticisms of the regime, describing the elections as "fraudulent" and calling for a boycott of the legislative elections in December, which he considered a "cover for a system resembling apartheid," referring to what he described as systematic political exclusion.

Between Calls for Dialogue and Rising Accusations

Despite his harsh rhetoric, Massara indicated at the beginning of 2025 a willingness to engage in dialogue, responding to President Deby’s invitation for what he called a "brotherly hand."

But tensions did not subside, particularly during the seventh anniversary of the establishment of the "Transformers" party last May when he renewed his call for a change in the political course, which drew criticism even from within some opposition circles.

On May 16, Massara was forcibly stopped amidst accusations of incitement to hatred and possession of weapons, based on an audio recording from May 2023, in addition to his alleged role in the bloody events in Mandako.

During the trial sessions, Massara denied all the charges, considering them a "attempt to settle political scores," and accusing the authorities of failing to respect the agreements signed in October 2023.

Transitional Phase at Stake

These developments come at a time when Chad is trying to emerge from a military transitional phase that lasted 4 years, culminating in the adoption of a new constitution in December 2024, and a formal return to civilian rule led by a president with a military background.

Despite these transformations, the country still faces security challenges on its borders and escalating social and economic crises, amid internal divisions threatening its political stability and putting the future of the democratic process at stake.

Source: Agencies