Benin: a TikToker placed in detention by the CRIET for a video involving his daughter
A man known on TikTok by the pseudonym “Didierlegouverneur,” identified as Ahouandjinou Didier, was placed under arrest and transferred to prison on Monday, May 18, 2026, following his presentation to the special prosecutor of the Court for the repression of economic offenses and terrorism (CRIET). He is accused of disseminating a sexually explicit video involving his daughter, who is under five years old, as well as alleged cybercrime and money laundering, according to the Beninese newspaper Le Potentiel.
SUMMARY
The investigation was initiated after the controversial video spread on TikTok and other digital platforms, sparking widespread outrage in the Beninese public. Officials from the National Center for Digital Investigation (CNIN), a unit specialized in addressing electronic offenses, opened an investigation and apprehended the accused within hours of the video’s dissemination.
During the custody, analysis of the data contained in the accused’s phones led investigators to expand the scope of the investigation. According to initial reports from the CNIN, alleged cybercrime and money laundering activities were identified alongside the initial charges.
Ahouandjinou Didier underwent a long interrogation before the special prosecutor before being placed under arrest. He is awaiting his trial in detention. After the video’s release, the accused had published a video in which he presented his apologies.
A Series of Appearances by Content Creators Before the CRIET
The case of Ahouandjinou Didier is part of a series of arrests targeting Beninese content creators since the end of 2025. In six years of existence, the CRIET has recorded 6,358 cases, including 1,956 related to cybercrime, according to data cited by the specialized site WanaData Africa. TikToker Cédric Toffa, known as “Flapacha,” was sentenced on March 5, 2026, to five years in prison and a fine of two million CFA francs for internet fraud. Valère Noukonmè received a five-year prison sentence and a fine of one million CFA francs on April 2, 2026, for public indecency and electronic fraud.
Other cases are currently under investigation. TikToker Barnabé Azongnidé is appearing for internet fraud, for which the prosecution has requested an eight-year prison sentence and a fine of four million CFA francs during a hearing on March 12, 2026. Steve Wotto, arrested on April 19, 2026, in Bohicon, Zou Department, is being prosecuted for harassment via electronic communication, incitement to rebellion, and glorification of crimes against state security; his case has been postponed to June 22, 2026. Another content creator, known by the pseudonym “Crouz,” was also presented to the special prosecutor on May 18, 2026, for alleged online fraud, with an initial hearing set for June 9, 2026.
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