French charges over Deby killing

President Deby sacked his son as an adviser in 2006

Four people are under formal inquiry for the murder last year of Brahim Deby, the son of Chadian President Idriss Deby, a French prosecutor says.

The four were arrested in the Paris suburb of Nanterre and have been remanded in custody.

A fifth suspect was arrested in Romania and should soon be extradited to France, the Nanterre prosecutor said.

Brahim Deby was found dead in the underground car park of his apartment building in Paris in July last year.

The 27-year-old had apparently choked to death from chemicals in a fire extinguisher.

Nanterre Prosecutor Philippe Courroye said the Paris suspects were being placed under formal investigation for gang murder and armed robbery.

French police say they do not believe there was a political motive for the killing.

Brahim Deby was sacked as a presidential adviser in 2006 after a conviction for drugs and weapons possession in France.