N'djamena: Chad's criminal court on Sunday sentenced former prime minister and opposition leader Succes Masra to 20 years in prison, in addition to a USD 1.7 million fine for inciting violence.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Masra, who served as prime minister between January and May last year and leads the Transformers party, was accused of disseminating racist and xenophobic messages. These messages were said to have incited violent actions that resulted in the deaths of 76 people, as reported by local media outlets.
Masra was apprehended by Chadian security forces on May 16. The charges against him included inciting hatred, possession of firearms, and connections with local violence groups in southern Chad.
The former prime minister had previously left Chad following a bloody crackdown on his supporters in 2022. He returned to the country under an amnesty agreement reached in 2024.