Chad man on trial for selling same plot to multiple buyers

On Monday, 8 June 2026, a hearing lasting over four hours took place at the N’Djamena high court. A man is being prosecuted for selling a single piece of land to several people for millions of francs CFA. The defendant also faces accusations of making death threats.

According to the case file, the accused allegedly received payments ranging from 52 million to 99.5 million francs CFA from various individuals.

During the hearing, heated exchanges broke out between the defendant’s legal team and the civil party’s lawyers. The latter are demanding the repayment of the sums their clients paid, plus damages and interest.

The defence team argued that their client was held in pre-trial detention by intelligence services for more than three months before being brought before a judge, which they claim is illegal. They maintain that the land rightfully belongs to their client, who represents his brothers, and that it is not disputed. They added that the defendant’s paternal uncle allegedly manipulated certain family members to claim the property of his deceased brother, leading buyers to demand their money back.

The civil party’s lawyers described the defendant’s actions as fraud, an accusation the defence rejected, stating that no property was handed over fraudulently and that articles 213 and 214 of the Chadian penal code do not apply in this case. The prosecutor called for a conviction on the charges, emphasising that receiving substantial sums from multiple people constitutes an offence, and requested a fine of 500,000 francs CFA.

Each side is pressuring the judges to rule in its favour. Notably, a similar scenario played out in the same court on 1 June for the same case. The court has adjourned for deliberation, and in the meantime the defendant remains in custody at Klessoum prison.