Ivory Coast: the Bouaké case takes a new turn with a second suspect

The public prosecutor near the Bouaké first instance court, Coulibaly Bamadou, announced on June 19, 2026, that the investigation opened after the arrest of Hili Napemala Samuel, 36, has established that five children may have been killed by the accused, and that a second suspect has been apprehended for the alleged acquisition of human remains from these murders.

Hili Napemala Samuel, who presents himself as a mason, was arrested on June 14, 2026, in the Konankankro neighborhood, located in the Bouaké airport area, the second largest city in Côte d’Ivoire about 340 kilometers north of Abidjan, by agents from the Anti-Crime Brigade of the police prefecture. He was then transporting a bag containing the body of a child around five years old. According to the prosecutor’s office, the accused admitted during questioning to having killed the victim found in his possession.

Starting June 15, the searches ordered by the prosecutor and conducted in his presence led to the exhumation of three bodies in brushy areas of the same neighborhood, bringing the number of presumed victims to four at that time. The bodies, which were hastily buried, were reportedly still identifiable at the time of their discovery, according to the prosecutor’s office.

A Fifth Body Discovered During the Investigation

During the continuation of the investigation, Hili Napemala Samuel mentioned a fourth clandestine burial site, the prosecutor specified in his statement on June 19. The body that had been buried there was found, bringing the total number of presumed victims attributed to him by the prosecutor at this stage of the investigations to five.

Prosecutor Coulibaly Bamadou also indicated that the accused stated during his interrogation, conducted in the presence of the magistrate, that he had sold human remains taken from his victims to third parties. Investigations are ongoing to identify all individuals involved, according to the statement.

A second man, Doumbia Mamadou, 30, of Ivorian nationality and claiming to be a traditional healer, was apprehended on June 19 on the prosecutor’s instruction. According to the prosecutor’s office, this individual admitted to having bought human remains from Hili Napemala Samuel. A search of his home led to the discovery of human bones. The presumption of innocence applies to both accused, whose guilt has not yet been established by a court.

Ongoing Investigation, Upcoming Charges

The prosecutor indicated that investigations are continuing to identify and apprehend all individuals likely involved in the incidents. The charges retained by the prosecutor’s office at the conclusion of the investigation had not yet been specified at the time of the statement’s publication.

The identity of the victims has not been publicly established. Ivorian media reported, following the first statement on June 15, testimonies from families whose children had been missing in the area for several months, without the prosecutor’s office having made any formal identifications.