businessman Olivier Boko and former minister Oswald Homeky will be tried at Criet

2 mins

With our correspondent in Cotonou, Jean-Luc Aplogan

At Benignthe investigating commission delivered its judgment on December 26, 2024 closing the investigation into the Olivier Boko case, a very close former friend of the president of the country, accused along with a former minister and four other people of “plot against state security and corruption of public officials”. The judgment concludes with an indictment of the accused, which means that Olivier Boko and the former Minister of Sports, Oswald Home, will be judged by the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (Criet).

They will be tried in a criminal hearing but there is no trial date yet. The cause? The collective of lawyersOlivier Bokoand Osawald Homeky lodged cassation appeals on the regularity of the procedure. Before these appeals, at each stage, they multiplied the requests for nullity and challenged the investigating judge once.

What happens next now depends on the ruling of the appeal by the Supreme Court.

In addition to Olivier Boko and his brother-in-law, as well as the former Minister of Sports Oswald Homeky, three other people are also being prosecuted in this case.

The investigating judges interviewed them individually then organized confrontations even with the head of the Republican Guard. According to the prosecution, the latter had been approached by the accused to prepare a coup d’état. The officer is not being prosecuted.

According to sources close to the case, none of the accused has confessed.

According to the lawyers, their clients are entitled to four weekly visits, but they only see one lawyer per visit, that is the instruction. Too restrictive, the councils denounce.

Also readBenin: Olivier Boko and Oswald Homeky indicted and placed under arrest warrant