Madar (N'Djamena) - Chad's Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Ndolenodji Alixe Naimbaye, said in a circular published on Friday, 13 November 2026, that bail money for provisional release must be paid exclusively to the chief clerk of the court concerned, the news site Tchadinfos reported.
The circular denounces several irregularities, including payments made without receipts, excessive amounts and unjustified delays in refunding money owed when the accused appears, or when charges are dropped or the defendant is acquitted.
The minister recalled that provisional release is governed by articles 324 to 333 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and that, where it is not automatic, it may be conditional on bail, whose purpose, payment and refund are strictly set out in articles 325 onwards.
The note also points to the lack of a special bail register, funds not being deposited in a dedicated account, forfeitures to the State without a proper finding that the accused absconded, and failures to rule within legal deadlines, which can leave a defendant unlawfully detained or lead to automatic release.
Chief clerks must now issue receipts, keep a dedicated register and open an account into which the money is deposited, to ensure it can be traced and to prevent manipulation or embezzlement.
Investigating judges and their clerks must hand any bail money they still hold over to the chief clerks, and heads of courts are asked to tighten controls. The source did not cite specific cases or figures.
