Ouagadougou: Burkina Faso Prosecutor Bakouli Blaise Bazie announced Thursday the second part of the trial in the Amidou Tegnan case. Eight new defendants, including former minister Laure Zongo Hien, will appear before the judge from December 12 to 22, 2025, on suspicion of embezzlement of public funds, complicity in embezzlement of public funds, illicit enrichment, and money laundering.

According to Burkina Information Agency, during the proceedings before the Specialized Judgment Chamber, Amidou Tiegnan provided a list of people presumed to have participated in the financial malfeasance that occurred within the ministry. The Prosecutor of Burkina Faso revealed that, "at the close of the judicial investigation, the investigating judge deemed the charges against Ye Yake Camille, Zongo/Hien Laure (former minister), Yameogo Kouka Dimanche, Zongo Billy Mandel Josito, Pasco Billa Payiwende, Bonkoungou Lydie, Sangare Issiaka, and Ouedraogo Sompagnimdi Ismael sufficient."

He specified that "the offenses of embezzlement of public funds, complicity in embezzlement of public funds, illicit enrichment, and money laundering have been brought against these individuals." Bakouli Blaise Bazie added that "the charges relate to the 'RENFORCEMENT PROT-SOC/MASSN' account, intended for the purchase of food for internally displaced persons."

"The methods of operation include fictitious expenses or fictitious activities, overbilling of handling expenses, and the dissipation for personal purposes of fuel intended for the activities of the ministry," suggested the Prosecutor of Faso. He also indicated that "the investigating judge has carried out several seizures of real estate as a precautionary measure, in order to guarantee the recovery of any potential monetary penalties."

In terms of results, the Prosecutor of Faso reported that between October 2024 and July 2025, 80 cases were judged, involving 229 defendants, 176 convictions, and 70 acquittals. Mr. Bakouli mentioned that "the monetary penalties in favor of the State note the collection of 15,065,755,665 FCFA in firm fines, 2,802,809,657 FCFA in damages and interest, 63 confiscated buildings, 18 confiscated vehicles, and 243,000,000 FCFA in confiscated cash."

"For the settlement agreements, two (2) cases have been settled by settlement agreements with the State for a total amount of more than 15 billion FCFA, including 5 billion FCFA in investments," he concluded.