A coffee and cocoa shop owner was robbed by three individuals last December in Man. According to a security source, the thieves made off with 140 million CFA francs.

While coffee and cocoa farmers were busy selling their beans, three individuals meticulously planned a robbery: the heist of a coffee and cocoa shop manager. According to the AIP news agency, the three robbers made off with the staggering sum of 140 million CFA francs. Unfortunately for the three thieves, Abdoulaye, Moussa D., and Mamady Z., they were sentenced this Wednesday, January 7, 2026, by the Court of First Instance in Man.

The three thieves were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Charged with conspiracy and armed robbery, Mamady Z., Moussa D., and Abdoulaye appeared before the Court of First Instance in Man. In court, the three defendants admitted their active participation in the robbery of the coffee and cocoa shop manager. The public prosecutor emphasized the seriousness of the crime.

According to him, this robbery, which occurred during the peak coffee and cocoa season, constituted a serious threat to public safety and the local economy. He therefore requested the maximum sentence allowed by law. After deliberation, the court followed the prosecution's recommendations. The three men were sentenced to twenty (20) years of imprisonment each, a decision welcomed by several stakeholders in the sector, relieved to see justice taken against this type of crime.

Fines, civil penalties and full reimbursement

In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed further penalties. Each convicted person must pay a fine of 500,000 CFA francs, and will also be deprived of their civic rights for five years. The court also imposed a travel ban from Ivorian territory for the same period, to prevent any attempt to flee or evade their legal obligations.

Finally, and crucially for the victim, the court ordered the full reimbursement of the 140 million CFA francs stolen during the robbery. This decision aims to redress the harm suffered by the store manager and to reaffirm the firmness of the justice system in the face of attacks on the security of economic actors, particularly in the strategic coffee and cocoa sector.