Benin: Suspicions of job-related extortion, one person arrested in Atacora
The Ministry of Budget and Public Service announces the arrest of one person in connection with an investigation into payments allegedly demanded from job seekers regarding recruitment at a gold mining company in Atacora. The facts remain presumed at this stage.
SUMMARY
One person has been arrested in Atacora as part of an investigation into allegations of extortion involving job seekers linked to recruitment at a gold mining company operating in the region, the Ministry of Budget and Public Service announced on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
According to the ministry’s statement, the investigation was initiated following reports of sums allegedly demanded from candidates in exchange for their recruitment. Relevant authorities have been engaged to verify the facts and identify any potential responsibilities.
The authorities did not specify the amount of the alleged sums demanded or the number of job seekers involved. The gold mining company is not named in the statement, which also does not clarify whether the company itself is implicated or if the suspicions concern individual actions related to its recruitment operations.
The ministry emphasizes that access to employment cannot be conditioned on the payment of money. It specifically condemns corruption, the sale of positions, extortion, and illegal salary deductions, urging both employers and workers to adhere to proper recruitment procedures.
The statement encourages workers, job seekers, and anyone with information about similar practices to report to the Departmental Directorates of Labor and Public Service. Reports can also be submitted via the toll-free number 155 or the national platform denonciation.bj.
An ongoing investigation
At this stage, the ministry reports an arrest as part of ongoing investigations. No conviction has been announced, and the individual in question is presumed innocent until a court has made a definitive ruling on the allegations against them.
The number 155 and the denonciation.bj platform are part of the national system for handling complaints and reports related to corruption and similar practices. This mechanism is based on the Complaint and Reporting Analysis and Processing Unit, established by decree n° 2022-040 on January 19, 2022.
In its appeal on September 10, the ministry urges individuals facing payment demands for job acquisition, unjustified salary deductions, or other similar practices to report them to the relevant authorities for verification.
Comments