Chad: Hundreds of FACT members sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism

A court in Chad has sentenced to life imprisonment hundreds of members of “Le Front pour l’Alternance et la Concorde du Tchad (FACT)”, a rebel group accused by authorities of terrorism and the killing of former leader Idriss Deby Itno.

The court’s ruling was announced by Justice Minister Mahamat Ahmat Alhabo. “More than 400 FACT members, including leader Mahamat Mahdi Ali, were sentenced to life imprisonment for acts of terrorism, mercenary activities, enrollment of children in the army, and endangering the life of the head of state, Field Marshal Idriss Deby Itno,” Alhabo was quoted by Anadolu news agency as saying.

The defendants have also been fined to pay 30 million euros to the Chadian State for damages and 1.5 million euros to the heirs of the late Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno, the justice minister said.

The court acquitted 24 other defendants. The rebel members were arrested during the fighting in April 2021, which led to the death of President Idriss Deby Itno.

The former Chadian leader died of a wound sustained while on a tour of the front lines to galvanize his army, which was locking horns with the FACT offensive.