Benin: investigation opened into forged documents targeting officials of the party Les Démocrates

According to the statement signed by special prosecutor Mario Mètonou, the case concerns requests for duplicate tax clearance certificates and criminal record extracts submitted by party officials as part of preparing candidate lists for the 2026 municipal and legislative elections.

The competent authorities reportedly noted that several files mentioned duplicates even though the beneficiaries had already obtained the original documents.

Initial investigations carried out by the Judicial Police Directorate point to the presence of forged proxy authorizations: some signatures appeared to be overlapping, proxy holders stated they had never signed any document, and individuals were arrested in possession of these forgeries.

The acts may be classified as forgery and use of forgery, as well as electoral fraud, punishable by one to five years’ imprisonment under articles 247, 307 and 309 of the Beninese Penal Code.

For now, neither the precise names of the officials implicated nor the full extent of the network have been made public. The investigation is ongoing and the special prosecutor’s office says it will provide further updates later on developments and judicial proceedings.

This case comes amid an already tense political context for Les Démocrates, who are trying to prepare for the 2026 polls after failing to win the presidential election. It adds another source of internal and external pressure on the opposition party, further undermining its credibility at a strategic moment in its history.