In Côte d’Ivoire, a major crackdown on civil service fraud has led to the sentencing of 84 customs officers to six years in prison each. The Abidjan-Plateau Court of First Instance delivered the verdict last weekend after finding the officers guilty of using falsified diplomas to gain entry into the customs service.

The case stems from a special recruitment exercise organized for civil servants, during which authorities uncovered widespread use of fraudulent academic credentials. The convictions mark one of the largest anti-fraud rulings in recent years and signal a strong stance by the Ivorian judiciary against corruption within public institutions.

Legal experts say the ruling could serve as a warning to others and boost efforts to restore integrity in civil service recruitment.