CRIET: actress Aurélie Guézo acquitted on the benefit of the doubt

The Beninese actress Aurélie Guézo is now free from any prosecution in the internet fraud case that had brought her before the Court of Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET). Following the deliberation rendered on Thursday, June 11, 2026, the court pronounced her acquittal due to reasonable doubt and ordered the unseizing of the amount of one million CFA francs paid for her provisional release.

This decision puts an end to a judicial process that had sparked numerous reactions in public opinion. The case originated from an investigation by the National Center for Digital Investigations (CNIN). The investigations revealed that a phone number registered in the name of the actress had been used in connection with fraudulent activities online. This discovery led to her arrest and subsequent detention.

Throughout the proceedings, Aurélie Guézo has consistently denied any involvement in the charges against her. In front of the judges, she explained that she had purchased a SIM card in her name without knowing how it would later be fraudulently used. She also stated that she had not derived any benefit from the alleged fraud operations.

During previous hearings, her lawyer, Me Omer Tchiakpè, argued that there was a lack of formal evidence establishing his client’s participation in cybercrime. The defense notably emphasized that none of the evidence in the case demonstrated any link between the actress and the alleged victims. The lawyer also argued that his client lacked the technical skills or educational background necessary to carry out such fraud.

These arguments gradually resonated with the public prosecutor. On March 26, the special prosecutor had requested an acquittal due to reasonable doubt, stating that the evidence gathered during the investigation did not establish the defendant’s guilt with certainty. He also requested the return of the bail paid for her provisional release.

After several delays in deliberation, notably to allow the defense to provide clarifications on the exact amount of bail paid, the CRIET ultimately followed the prosecutor’s requests. The court thus pronounced Aurélie Guézo’s acquittal due to reasonable doubt and ordered the full return of the one million CFA francs that had been seized.

This decision marks a significant relief for the artist, a well-known figure in Beninese theater through the productions of the Sèmako troupe, especially alongside Pipi Wobaho and Éléphant Mouillé.