Chad Shakes Up Anti-Corruption Leadership Amid Oil Audit Dispute

Chad's President Mahamat Idriss Deby has dismissed the top leadership of the country's anti-corruption authority, a move that comes amid a heated dispute with the state-owned hydrocarbons company.

A presidential decree, signed on Friday, removed the inspector general and deputy inspector general of the anti-corruption body, replacing them with new appointees. The decree did not provide reasons for the change or reference the reported incident involving its officers.

The shake-up follows a statement by the anti-corruption authority last Wednesday, which said its inspectors were detained and assaulted by state security agents during an audit of the Chadian Hydrocarbons Company (SHT). The inspectors had reportedly requested documents to verify revenues, including sales invoices sent to commodities trader Glencore.

Glencore, which has not been accused of any wrongdoing by the authority or any other body, declined to comment on the matter.

The hydrocarbons company responded on Thursday with its own statement, denying that it had deliberately obstructed the audit.

Chad ranks 157th out of 182 countries on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, reflecting persistent concerns about governance and transparency in the Central African nation.