Benin Coup Plot: Special Prosecutor Reveals Details of Olivier Boko and Oswald Homeky’s Arrest

More than 24 hours after the arrest of Olivier Boko and Oswald Homeky, the special prosecutor in the Court for Combating Economic Crimes and Terrorism (CRIET) gave a press briefing in Cotonou this Wednesday afternoon, September 25, 2024.

The businessman and former sports minister are accused of preparing a coup d’état, according to Mario Metonou, the special prosecutor.

Alleged Coup Plot

According to the special prosecutor, the two personalities are said to be preparing a coup d’état in compliance with the commander of the Republican Guard, the army unit responsible for the security of the Head of State.

“From the first investigations, it appears that the Commander of the Republican Guard in charge of the security of the Head of State was carried out by Minister Oswald HOMEKY on his behalf and on behalf of Mr Olivier BOKO with the aim of acting through force coup d’état on the day of September 27, 2024.”

Investigation Timeline

The project would have started at the beginning of last August. On August 6, 2024, exactly, “The interested parties opened a bank account in the books of NSIA BANQUE Côte d’Ivoire in favor of the Commander of the Republican Guard (…) with an initial balance of one hundred and five million (105,000,000) FCFA”, Mario Metonou reported.

Arrests and Detention

According to the special prosecutor, the commander of the Republican Guard was not yet convinced of the move at this stage of the exchange. So Olivier Boko and the former sports minister set out to convince him further with a new payment of money. In cash this time. We are talking about 1.5 billion CFA francs. It was on the occasion of the distribution of this amount of money that took place at Oswald Homeky’s home that the latter was arrested as well as the head of the Republican Guard. Olivier Boko, considered to be the financier of the operation, was also arrested and arrested within the following hour.

Ongoing Investigation

The special prosecutor in CRIET did not give any details about the places of detention of the three men. He only noted that “The ongoing investigation is working to identify all the people involved in these incidents.”

Government Response

Earlier in the day, the government spokesman had already spoken on the relationship that has shaken Benin for more than 24 hours. Asked during his weekly press conference after the council of ministers. Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji had only called on the population to have confidence in justice. “I would like us all to trust the justice of our country to find our place and for tomorrow, if necessary, to hear a trial”, he had noted.