The Abidjan-Plateau Court of First Instance on Friday sentenced former Malian MP Mahamadou Gassama, a member of Mali’s National Transitional Council (CNT), to three years in prison for insulting the Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara.
Bringing to a close a case that had gripped public attention for months, the court handed down a three-year custodial sentence to the 67-year-old former lawmaker. The ruling also includes a fine of five million CFA francs and a three-year ban from residing in Côte d’Ivoire.
At a hearing held on January 9, 2026, prosecutors had sought a harsher five-year prison term. The court ultimately opted for a reduced sentence of three years.
The case dates back to 2024, when Gassama was arrested by the Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DST) while transiting through Côte d’Ivoire. He was charged with “insulting the head of state” and “undermining state institutions.”
At the heart of the proceedings was a video circulated on social media in which Gassama questioned the nationality of President Alassane Ouattara and described him as a “destabilising force” and an “enemy of Mali.”
Speaking after the verdict, the defence expressed disappointment. Gassama’s lawyer, Me Ismaïla Konaté, described the decision as “excessive, serious and extremely harsh.”
Noting that his client had already spent six months in detention, the defence had argued for a six-month sentence, which would have resulted in Gassama’s immediate release.
“We remain convinced that the context of the case, and above all the repeated apologies expressed by Mr Gassama during the trial, should not have led to such a decision,” the lawyer said.
Me Konaté added that he would review the judgment with his colleague, Me Coulibaly, before deciding whether to lodge an appeal. For now, the former Malian lawmaker still has legal avenues available to challenge the ruling.
The Abidjan-Plateau Court of First Instance also ordered that the decision be published in Côte d’Ivoire’s official legal gazette.
AP/lb/as/APA