The Judicial Chamber of the Supreme Court of Chad upheld the conviction of opposition leader Succès Masra on Thursday, May 21, 2026, rejecting his final appeal in cassation.
Presided over by Samir Adam Annour, the court confirmed judgment No. 018/25 issued by the N’Djamena Court of Appeal in August 2025, thereby maintaining Masra’s 20-year prison sentence linked to the Mandakao case.
The ruling also means there is no further legal avenue for appeal, leaving only the possibility of a presidential pardon for any change in his situation.
Masra, leader of the Les Transformateurs party, was convicted of murder, complicity, dissemination of hate messages, and criminal association, and has remained in detention since his sentencing.
His defense, led by Kadjilembaye Francis, failed to overturn the verdict, while the state and prosecution successfully defended the case.
Human rights groups and his party continue to argue that the trial was politically motivated and have called for his release, while also raising concerns about his health and requesting medical evacuation, which authorities have refused.
