Chad : Over 400 Rebels Get Life Sentences

The Criminal Chamber of N’Djamena’s Court of Appeal on Tuesday, March 22, 2023 sentenced 441 rebels of the Front for Change and Concord (FACT), guilty of acts of terrorism, undermining national security, recruitment of child soldiers and assassination of the Head of State. 24 others were acquitted due to lack of evidence. Apart from the sentences, all condemned rebels will have to pay compensation to the State. The compensation according to the FACT lawyer Francis Lokoulde are, damages of more than $32 million to the government and $1.6 million to the family of the ex-President. 
The verdict made public by the Prosecutor of N’Djamena, Mahamat El-Hadj Abba Nana, after a mass trial is subject to appeal before the country’s Supreme Court. Reacting to the court decision, FACT spokesperson Adoum Chouwimi said the trial was flawed and called the verdict a “mascarade”. Last month, the trial opened behind closed doors at Klessoum prison which is located 20 kilometres southeast of the capital. At the end of the first phase of the trial, a total of 262 accused were handed terms of between two and three years. The remote location and proceedings drew condemnation from international human rights groups. 
The government’s decision to sentence the rebels responsible for his death to life in prison is a significant move towards restoring order and justice in Chad. The punishment sends a clear message to anyone attempting to destabilize the nation, and also provides a sense of closure for Deby’s family and supporters. Overall, Chad’s efforts to ...