Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire — A military tribunal has sentenced an army warrant officer to life imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old girl, according to local reports.
The court handed down the maximum penalty on Thursday after finding K. Y.
I.
A member of the Forces armées de Côte d’Ivoire, guilty of aggravated sexual assault on a minor. Official statements indicate the proceedings were held behind closed doors at the military court in Abidjan.
Local sources report that the child’s family filed a complaint in late 2025, prompting an internal military investigation.
The verdict was read immediately after the two — day trial concluded. Civil-society representatives welcomed the decision, calling it a clear signal that sexual violence against children will not be tolerated inside the security forces.
“This ruling shows the military justice system can act decisively when evidence is presented,” one independent observer.
Military prosecutors told the court the facts met the legal threshold for “aggravated rape,” an offence that carries automatic life terms under Côte d’Ivoire’s 2019 child-protection code.
The defence team had sought a reduced sentence, arguing the accused had no prior record, but judges rejected the plea.
The convicted man will serve his sentence in the civilian high — security prison of Agboville, regional officials confirmed. He has ten days to appeal. Further details on the timeline of the assault and the victim’s current condition were not immediately available.
Officials have not yet commented on whether additional administrative sanctions will be imposed within the army.
