Benin: Admitted to casting more than 42 fraudulent votes, a citizen jailed

The citizen accused of having cast multiple votes in the joint elections held on January 11, 2026 appeared before the Aplahoué Court.

Following his appearance before the competent court, the activist implicated in the electoral fraud case in Atomey in the commune of Aplahoué was placed under a detention order. He is now incarcerated awaiting his verdict.

The activist also named in the case, for her part, was released on a summons and must remain available to the authorities.

At the end of the hearings, the proceedings were adjourned to mid-March to allow for a thorough examination of the facts. This judicial decision comes in direct continuation of the revelations made during the public hearing held on February 19 at the Supreme Court.

During this hearing, damning elements had been exposed regarding an alleged mechanism of electoral fraud in a polling station in Atomey, during the January 2026 legislative and municipal elections.

The high court had then annulled all the ballots from that polling station and forwarded the case to the competent jurisdictions.
Soon after, the Aplahoué Court issued, on Tuesday, February 24, a detention order against the activist who had admitted the facts before the Supreme Court.

According to his own statements, he had possession of several ballots and admitted having carried out 42 fraudulent votes before the operation was interrupted by the intervention of security forces.

The activist who testified at the public hearing has, for her part, been placed under judicial summons. She will have to appear again before the court in mid-March, the date on which the proceedings will enter a new phase.

Through these decisions, justice intends to treat with rigor a case that calls into question the integrity of the electoral process and remind that violations of the sincerity of the vote expose their authors to criminal penalties.