Benin: Intelligence Agent Prosecuted for Abuse of Office

Involved in a case of abuse of office and slanderous accusation alongside a village chief and a herder, an intelligence agent is at risk of being sentenced to two years of imprisonment. The events occurred in a village located in the ‘red zone’ near Malanville.

Reportedly, the herder accused the intelligence agent in front of the village chief of taking money from him to avoid being denounced as a potential terrorist. This incident led to the arrest of the three individuals involved.

During the trial, all three denied the charges against them. According to reports from BIP Radio, the herder claimed that he had not paid anything to the agent, while the village chief confessed that his half-brother had been extorted 400,000 francs by the intelligence agent under the guise of protection against terrorism charges.

The public prosecutor requested acquittal for the village chief, a 12-month prison sentence, and a fine of 500,000 francs against the herder for slanderous denunciation. Against the intelligence agent, the prosecutor asked for a 2-year prison sentence and a 1-million-franc fine for abuse of office. The verdict is scheduled for April 18, 2024.