Ouagadougou: Despite a provisional court order, an intimidated farmer finds the disputed field already sown by the other party. The judge of the case management of the High Court (TGI) of Tenkodogo authorized, by provisional measure order issued on June 3, 2026, Comrade Ousmane Sonde to continue the exploitation of a disputed rural land located in Mangal©, in the commune of Garango, pending the final settlement of the dispute which opposes him to Comrade Seydou Zeba. This decision comes as part of legal proceedings concerning the recognition of a right of enjoyment and a request for eviction.

According to Burkina Information Agency, Comrade Ousmane Sond© asserts that the land in dispute constitutes the family field inherited from his father. He maintains that his father cultivated it continuously, peacefully, and openly for several decades, and that he himself participated in this cultivation since his childhood, bringing the cumulative duration of land development to over sixty years. The claimant states that it was only in 2025 that Comrade Seydou Z¨ba claimed ownership of the field, arguing that his father had previously lent it to Comrade Sond©'s father.

Attempts at amicable settlement undertaken before the Mangal© Village Land Conciliation Commission resulted in a report of non-conciliation drawn up on August 19, 2025, paving the way for referral to the court. In his summons, Comrade Sonde requests recognition of his right of enjoyment on the land, the cessation of the disturbances he says he is suffering, the expulsion of Comrade Seydou Zeba from the disputed field, as well as his being ordered to pay costs.

By application addressed on May 18, 2026 to the judge in charge of case management, the counsel for Comrade Sond©, Mr. Adama Ramd©, requested and obtained authorization for his client to continue to exploit the land during the agricultural season, arguing that he is the usual operator and that he derives his means of subsistence from it. In a provisional order issued on June 3, 2026, the pretrial judge, Mr. Lamoussa Neya, granted this request. He provisionally authorized Comrade Ousmane Sond© to use the disputed land located in Mangal© for his agricultural needs, specifying that this authorization remains valid until another decision is made within the framework of the proceedings. The judge also indicated that in the event of any difficulties in implementation, he may be immediately notified.

According to sources close to the case, Seydou Zeba refuses to accept the court ruling issued by the judge overseeing the preliminary proceedings. The substance of the dispute, particularly concerning the recognition of the right of enjoyment and the claims made by the parties, has not yet been decided by the Tenkodogo High Court. This order is a provisional measure intended to preserve the parties' position during the investigation of the case. It does not prejudge the decision that will be rendered later on the merits of the case, which will determine the respective rights of the parties involved to the rural land in dispute. Wait and see?