12 charged over gendarme killing amid election tensions
Authorities have charged 12 people with murder and terrorism in connection with the death of a gendarme last year.
12 people have been charged and remanded in custody over the killing of a gendarme, an incident that occurred one year after deadly election-related violence in Ivory Coast. Prosecutor Oumar Braman Koné announced the charges on Tuesday, stating the suspects admitted involvement in the shooting of Second Lieutenant Daniogo Klênon Lacina on October 20, 2025, while he patrolled near Agboville. The alleged shooter confessed to opening fire on security forces.
The accused face serious charges including murder, terrorist acts, conspiracy against state authority, and participation in an insurrectionary movement. The case has been transferred to Abidjan’s anti-terrorism division. This investigation unfolds against a backdrop of lingering political tensions following President Alassane Ouattara’s disputed fourth-term election victory last year, an event that officially claimed 11 lives.
The opposition party PPA-CI has accused the government of anti-democratic actions, though authorities maintain the prosecutions are not politically motivated. The gendarme’s death and subsequent charges highlight the ongoing security concerns and political instability in the country.
Why it mattersThe charges and ongoing political tensions directly affect Ivorians by raising concerns about security and the rule of law following disputed elections.