A major embezzlement case has been in the news for several weeks. This is the misappropriation of 2,6 billion to the Beninese Office of School and University Sports. To light each other's lanterns, the special prosecutor at CRIET, Mario Mètonou hosted a press briefing on the evening of this Wednesday 20 December. On the menu, presentation of the alleged facts to the Director General of OBSSU, his Office accounting officer, Tchibozo Vitalien, Roland Zossou et consorts. Read the facts presented by the prosecutor according to Banouto’s account.
The general director of OBSSU and his accounting officer fraudulently removed from the office's coffers a sum of money currently estimated at two billion six hundred and ninety-five million four hundred and fifty-two thousand CFA francs, and this, over the period from 2019 at 2023.
Donald Acakpo invested part of this sum of money in an intermediation project, in the marketing of cotton fibers proposed by his friend, Roland Zossou. Using the false status of nephew of Mr. Eustache Kotigan, general administrator of SODECO SA, Roland Zossou made Donald Acakpo believe that his supposed relative could get them juicy contracts.
To convince him, he acquired a sim card which he inserted into a mobile phone different from his own and he recorded the number of this sim in his own phone as being that of Mr. Eustache Kotigan. He also communicated this false number to Donald Acakpo as being that of Mr. Kotigan.
From this false number, he simulated exchanges of messages which he transferred to Donald Acakpo. To multiple messages from Donald Acakpo to this number, Roland Zossou answers. And with this stratagem, he convinced Mr. Donald Acakpo to give him large sums of money.
The other stratagem used by Roland Zossou to provoke the delivery of sums of money consisted of initiating a series of letters under the heading of the General Inspectorate of Finance. These correspondences left the threat of control looming at the level of the OBSSU. Requested by Donald Acakpo, Roland Zossou offered to prevent the controls by, here again, handing over large sums of money.
The searches carried out at the homes of Roland Zossou made it possible to find the cell phone as well as the number configured in the name of Eustache Kotigan. Several letters with the letterhead of the General Inspectorate of Finance and SODECO SA, stamps in the name of SODECO SA and the General Inspectorate of Finance as well as sheets of paper on which Roland Zossou practiced reproducing the signature of the General Inspector of Finance. These are the facts at the origin of the proceedings initiated against Donald Acakpo, Tchibozo Vitalien and Roland Zossou.
This is the place to remind all public actors that all expenditure must comply with the rules of public accounting and be duly justified.. This is also the place to recall that any transfer of funds in order to prevent the implementation of control mechanisms is a criminal act severely punished by our laws.. It should be added that embezzlement of public funds is punishable by up to life imprisonment in addition to additional penalties., accessory penalties and disciplinary sanctions.
The procedures are progressing before CRIET and I will not fail to come back to you if necessary..