The long-awaited trial in the Burkina Faso case of the 1998 assassination of journalist Norbert Zongo and three companions has hit another procedural snag. A new appeal filed by the defense has effectively postponed the proceedings, despite a recent confirmation of the referral to trial.

The prosecutor general near the Ouagadougou Court of Appeal confirmed on August 13, 2026, that Defense lawyer Me Paul Kéré had submitted a pourvoi en cassation (appeal to the Supreme Court) on July 31, 2026. This move follows a July 30 ruling by the investigating chamber that confirmed the indictment of three suspects for trial.

The suspects—Wanga Christophe Combasséré, accused of murder and aggravated destruction of property; Banagoulo Yaro, charged with complicity in murder and aggravated destruction of property; and Paul François Compaoré, accused of inciting murder—will not face trial until the Supreme Court rules on the appeal.

The prosecutor’s office has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the case progresses diligently while adhering to legal procedures. Zongo, editor of the now-defunct L’Indépendant weekly, was killed along with his brother Ernest, chauffeur Abdoulaye Nikiéma (