The Economic and Financial Brigade multiplies arrests and hearings. The former head of the agency is in custody. The matter was revealed on Wednesday, July 7, in the Council of Ministers. According to the government, it was suspicious procurement, various irregularly granted bonuses and fraudulent registrations of thousands of vehicles. The damages are estimated at more than 13 billion CFA francs.
as reported from Cotonou, Jean-Luc Aplogan
In this case, it is the entire management of the former head of the Directorate of Land Transport who is involved. The audit, which has examined its four years of governance, overwhelms him. He was fired on Wednesday in the Council of Ministers with four staff members. They are the first to be detained by the Economic and Financial Brigade. Other arrests followed. Thursday night we went to a dozen people in police custody and auditioned.
For long hours, the police conducted searches on the agency’s premises. Computers, filing cabinets, telephones and financial reports were seized.
According to our sources, one component in file 2646 concerns fraudulently registered vehicles. They were without having paid the customs duties. The audit estimates the damage at almost 8 billion CFA francs. On Thursday, a press release from the presidency of the republic called on the owners concerned to pay the customs duties not paid before July 14, according to criminal proceedings.
► To read about: Benin: the former mayor of Abomey-Calavi on trial for a major national scandal
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