Benin: the Ministry of Justice denounces a presidential pardon scam and announces legal action.

Malicious individuals contact the families of prisoners, demanding money in exchange for promises to facilitate their registration on a supposed presidential pardon list.

According to the official statement, those behind these fraudulent maneuvers do not hesitate to impersonate judges or various administrative authorities to deceive their victims and lend credibility to their financial requests.

The ministry has formally clarified the rules in force. According to the Keeper of the Seals, no payment, in any form, may be demanded, accepted, or is necessary for obtaining a presidential pardon, parole, or sentence adjustment. Paying money neither guarantees nor facilitates access to these measures in any way.

No prison authority, penitentiary, or intermediary third party, he specifies, intervenes in the evaluation of the legal eligibility conditions. The presidential pardon falls solely under the prerogative of the President of the Republic. It does not depend on any pre-established schedule, which means that no date or deadline can be promised or guaranteed by anyone.

Zero Tolerance and Systematic Legal Proceedings

The Keeper of the Seals reminded that the selection of beneficiaries is based exclusively on the criteria defined by law. He warned that anyone claiming they can influence or speed up this process for payment is exposing themselves to serious criminal penalties.

To this end, strict instructions have been given to public prosecutors to initiate systematic legal proceedings against the perpetrators of these illegal practices.

The minister urges prisoners, their families, and their relatives to exercise the utmost vigilance, not to pay any sum of money, and to immediately report any suspicious solicitation to the competent authorities.