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Authorities in Benin have placed five Togolese women and one Beninese man in pre-trial detention following their appearance before the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET) on Thursday, June 6, 2025.
The case involves serious allegations of administrative document forgery linked to attempts to unlawfully acquire Beninese passports.
According to local news outlet Banouto, the six defendants are accused of using falsified secure civil status documents—including forged birth certificates and personal identification certificates (CIP)—allegedly produced in Benin.
These documents were then submitted as part of efforts to obtain official Beninese passports, a process that has drawn the scrutiny of the country’s specialized judicial body.
While full details of the network behind the alleged falsifications remain unclear, the case file presented in court suggests an organized scheme designed to exploit Benin’s civil documentation system. The involvement of foreign nationals has further complicated the case, raising regional concerns about identity fraud and border integrity.
The charges fall under Benin’s tough legal framework targeting economic crimes and terrorism-related offenses—jurisdiction specifically assigned to CRIET, the court established in 2018 to handle high-stakes financial and security infractions.
As of now, no plea has been officially recorded from the six individuals. However, legal proceedings are expected to continue in the coming weeks as investigators work to determine the full scope of the fraud and identify any additional actors involved.
This latest development underscores Benin’s growing efforts to clamp down on identity fraud and the illegal use of its national documentation systems, especially amid rising concerns across West Africa regarding cross-border criminal networks.
The detainees remain in custody pending further investigation and a formal trial.
