Former AFCON Winner Jailed, Fined Over Rape Conviction

Former AFCON Winner Jailed, Fined Over Rape Conviction

Sampson Adedeji

A former Africa Cup of Nations winner with Ivory Coast has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of rape by a court in Abidjan, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The Abidjan Court of First Instance delivered its verdict on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in the case involving Abdoulaye Traoré, popularly known as “Ben Badi,” and a young student. The ruling comes five years after the initial complaint was filed in 2021.

Traoré, who was part of Ivory Coast’s victorious squad at the 1992 AFCON, was found guilty following legal proceedings that spanned several years.

In addition to the three-year custodial sentence, the court imposed further sanctions on the former ASEC Mimosas star. 

These include a 10-year deprivation of civic rights and a five-year ban from residing in Bouaké.

He was also ordered to pay 15 million CFA francs (approximately €22,867) in damages to the victim.

The case has drawn significant attention in Ivory Coast, given Traoré’s status as a former national hero and member of the country’s historic AFCON-winning team.