Chad: Two Ministers Sacked On Suspicion Of Embezzlement

Chadian President Idriss Déby before meeting with French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve on 29 December 2016. 

In Chad, President Idriss Déby Itno sacked two of his ministers via a decree read on the radio on 29 May. No grounds were invoked but concordant sources ensure that they would pay for embezzlement cases.

The case concerns two old Chadian politicians, several ministers. Former secretary general of the presidency, David Houdeingar Ngarimadem was until late evening in charge of the portfolio of Mines and Geology. Hamid Mahamat Dahalob, who runs a small party of the presidential mobility, occupied the portfolio of the Territorial Development.
The presidential decree that terminates their functions makes no allusion to the reason for their dismissal. But they "  would be pinned in embezzlement by the General Inspectorate of State  ", according to a dispatch of Agence France-Presse which cites an official source under anonymity.

"A campaign for the moralization of the country"

Hamid Mahamat Dahalob said he was surprised: "  I have the report of the General Inspectorate of the State and it does not pinpoint me in anything at all, " assures the former minister before adding That"  the Head of State would probably not have received the right information".

Neither the Chadian presidency nor the government has wanted to comment on this issue at this time. A senior official insists, however, that the State General Inspectorate has embarked on a "  campaign of moralization of the country  ". In this particular case, this source did not mean anything, invoking the secrecy of the investigation.

In this country, which is experiencing a serious socio-economic crisis due to falling oil prices, several senior officials have already been sacked, and some have been tried for corruption cases in recent years. Some sources cite political motives behind most of these cases.