Benin: 2 alleged cybercriminals, including a purported king of Abomey, appear before the Criet
The trial of two alleged cybercriminals began last Tuesday at the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET). The defendants are accused of internet fraud. One presents himself as a “king of Dahomey,” the other owns several foreign SIM cards.
The prosecution argues that the first suspect, who declares himself a bokonon (spiritual leader) in Abomey, poses as the king of Dahomey to deceive his victims. He would offer magical wallets or fictitious donations.
Under the alleged name “Mohamed Ebomaf,” he also presents himself to his victims as a young Nigerien entrepreneur living in China. Excerpts from his phone, presented to the Court, show that these promises are fraudulent.
The second defendant is being prosecuted for possessing several SIM cards registered abroad (codes 225, 226, 795 and 176). According to the prosecution, these instruments are also alleged to have been used to carry out online scams, notably under the guise of fictitious donations.
Summoned before the judge, both defendants pleaded not guilty. They said that the pieces of evidence found on their phones came from second‑hand devices bought “in the dark,” without being able to identify the sellers. The Court asked them to provide the names of those sellers for verification, which neither of them has been able to do so far.
The trial was adjourned until December 9, 2025, for the prosecution’s submissions and the lawyers’ arguments.
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