The funerals of the two activists from the Party of African Peoples – Ivory Coast (PPA-CI) who died in Yamoussoukro were blocked at the last minute by a court order. This intervention has reignited tensions between the government and the opposition, just as Laurent Gbagbo's party was preparing to pay tribute to them.

On the eve of the funeral ceremonies, scheduled for Saturday, November 8, the Ivorian justice system ordered a postponement of the removal of the body and the burial . The aim is to allow investigators to determine the exact circumstances of the deaths .

An investigation to "determine the causes"

In a request addressed to the public force on November 7, 2025, the public prosecutor at the Court of First Instance of Toumodi, Ahmed Diomandé , stressed that investigations are underway to "determine the causes" of the deaths of Konan Kacou Paul and N'Guessan Kouassi Constant , which occurred on October 21 in Yamoussoukro.

The magistrate specified that Konan Kacou Paul died "during the public demonstrations," while N'Guessan Kouassi Constant succumbed "at his home in the village of Kami." Consequently, he ordered that "the bodies be kept at the disposal of investigators" and that all ceremonies be suspended until the investigation is concluded.

This decision has been transmitted for execution to the commander of the Yamoussoukro gendarmerie legion and to the police prefect. It comes just hours after the PPA-CI released the official funeral program (removal of the body from the Yamoussoukro Regional Hospital and Ivosep Assabou, burials at the Kami cemetery).

Day of Tribute Compromised

The PPA-CI had invited its activists and sympathizers to a "day of tribute" to honor the memory of their "two comrades who fell in the fulfillment of their militant commitment".

Initially, this day was intended to replace a peaceful march planned for the same day in Abidjan. President Laurent Gbagbo had instructed his party to "prioritize a mobilization to honor the memory of our deceased," temporarily abandoning the protest march.

This march aimed to denounce President Alassane Ouattara's fourth term, the electoral violence of October 25, and to demand the release of arrested activists. However, the prefect of Abidjan, Andjou Koua, maintained a ban on demonstrations that remains in effect.

The PPA-CI's Expected Reaction

At present, the PPA-CI has not yet issued an official response to the Toumodi prosecutor's request. Internal sources indicate that the party leadership is "monitoring the situation closely" and is expected to make a statement after consulting with the families of the deceased.