Benin – Criet: a Moroccan and a Yemeni prosecuted on suspicion of terrorism
The Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (Criet) examined, on Monday, 13 October 2025, the case of two foreign nationals arrested in Cotonou on suspicion of belonging to a terrorist organization. The accused, a Moroccan and a Yemeni, deny the charges and say they came to Benin to flee threats and war.
SUMMARY
The Moroccan and the Yemeni appeared, on Monday, 13 October, before the Criet to explain the circumstances of their presence on Beninese territory. The two men, arrested on Fidjrossè beach during a police operation, are suspected by authorities of belonging to a terrorist organization.
Before the judges, the two defendants denied the accusations, saying they did not know each other before their arrest. The Moroccan national explained that he left his country to escape a cartel that forced him to cultivate drugs. The Yemeni, for his part, said he fled the war ravaging his country before arriving in Benin after a long journey through Egypt and other African territories.
The defense argues the defendants acted in good faith
Their lawyer pleaded his clients’ good faith, stressing the absence of any link between them and the weakness of the evidence of their membership in a terrorist network. According to him, the two men were simply victims of an unfortunate set of circumstances during a nighttime check in Cotonou.
In light of the explanations provided, the Criet decided to adjourn the case to 27 October 2025 for the continuation of the proceedings. The defendants remain under suspicion for the time being, pending further debates.
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