Twelve people have been charged and remanded in custody in Ivory Coast over the killing of a gendarme during election-related violence last year, as investigations into the unrest continue amid lingering political tensions.
Prosecutor Oumar Braman Koné announced the charges on Tuesday in connection with the death of Second Lieutenant Daniogo Klênon Lacina, who was shot by armed individuals on October 20, 2025, while patrolling a road near Agboville.
According to the authorities, the suspects admitted involvement in the incident, with the alleged gunman confessing to opening fire on security personnel.
The accused face charges including murder, terrorist acts, conspiracy against state authority and participation in an insurrectionary movement. The case has been transferred to the anti-terrorism division in Abidjan.
The prosecution comes a year after election-related violence in the West African country, which officially left 11 people dead, according to authorities.
The unrest followed President Alassane Ouattara’s disputed victory in an election that secured him a fourth term in office, amid opposition objections and heightened political tensions.
Meanwhile, the opposition party, the African Peoples’ Party–Ivory Coast (PPA-CI), has accused the government of engaging in anti-democratic practices.
Authorities, however, have maintained that the prosecution of the 12 suspects is based on the alleged offences and is unrelated to their political affiliations.
The case is expected to proceed through the country’s judicial system as investigations into the gendarme’s killing continue.
