The Daloa Court of Appeal handed down a chilling verdict on Monday, March 23, 2026, in a case involving incest, manipulation, and murder. D. Marcel, a 70-year-old man, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for extremely serious crimes. His wife, L. Adèle, and her younger sister, L. Sarah, who became his co-wife, each received a 7-year prison sentence.

The case dates back to 2010, when the couple, D. Marcel and L. Adèle, were tried in the Man District Court. At the time, the man was accused of sexually abusing his own daughter, who was only 13 years old, with the active complicity of her mother. The court sentenced the couple to seven years in prison. Refusing to accept this verdict, they decided to appeal, thus prolonging an already shocking case.

A psychological manipulation orchestrated by D. Marcel

According to evidence revealed during the proceedings, the events stemmed from psychological manipulation orchestrated by D. Marcel. He allegedly convinced his wife that a supposed ritual involving their daughter would bring the couple wealth. Succumbing to this belief, L. Adèle then helped persuade their initially opposed daughter to accept this incestuous relationship. To achieve his ends, the father even allegedly led the young girl to believe he was not her biological father.

For several years, this incestuous relationship continued, resulting in the birth of two children. The situation took a dramatic turn when the young woman began the process of obtaining an identity document. Upon consulting her birth certificate, she discovered with shock that D. Marcel was indeed her biological father. This revelation enraged her. She then left the family home, abandoning her two children.

After her departure, D. Marcel reportedly made disturbing remarks, claiming that their first child was responsible for the failure of the ritual meant to bring them wealth. He called the child a "sorcerer" and decided to kill him. With his wife's consent, he administered an herbicide to the child. When the poison's effects became too slow, he eventually suffocated him in a barrel of water before burying his body in the family courtyard.

Some time later, the septuagenarian expressed his desire to take a second wife. Once again, L. Adèle gave her consent and called upon her own younger sister, L. Sarah. The latter agreed to become D. Marcel's co-wife, with whom she would also have two children.

The daughter returns to the family home to see her children.

The case takes a decisive turn when the daughter returns home to see her children. Worried about not seeing her eldest son, she questions her parents, who give her evasive answers. Finally, it is her second child who reveals the truth, claiming that his grandfather had killed his brother and showing her where he was buried.

Shocked, the young woman decided to file a complaint. The ensuing investigation led to the arrest of D. Marcel and his accomplices. At the first trial in Man, the couple was convicted but appealed the decision. It was only six years later that the Daloa Court of Appeal took up the case.

After several hours of hearings marked by damning testimony and disturbing revelations, the appeals court ultimately increased D. Marcel's sentence, condemning him to 10 years in prison. L. Adèle and L. Sarah, meanwhile, were found guilty of complicity and each sentenced to 7 years in prison.