CRIET: five years in prison requested against a fake police officer for fraud
An individual prosecuted before the Court for the repression of economic offenses and terrorism (CRIET) is facing heavy requisitions for impersonating a member of the Republican Police.
SUMMARY
Accused of extorting large sums of money from several people, the defendant saw the public prosecutor request a sentence of five years in prison, three of which are mandatory, as well as a fine of one million FCFA for internet fraud.
A modus operandi based on the fear of arrest
The defendant systematically targeted his own acquaintances, whom he contacted by phone. To strip them of their money, he made them believe that they were the subject of an imminent search notice issued by the Republican Police. Facing their panic, the fake policeman then offered to intervene to make the alleged arrest file disappear in exchange for large sums of money.
One of the victims, terrified by these threats, was ordered to pay 400,000 FCFA. Caught off guard, she fled her home and asked her partner to go to the police station to verify the truth of the facts. It was near the police station that the partner encountered the blackmailer. After negotiations, an agreement was reached for the payment of 200,000 FCFA, half of the demanded ransom. It was precisely during this money handover that the deception was uncovered.
The judicial investigation also revealed a second similar case. Using exactly the same scheme, the accused managed to extort two million FCFA from another victim, who decided to join the case as a civil party upon learning of the proceedings.
Restitution to victims and verdict expected at the end of August
In addition to the prison sentence and fine requested, the special prosecutor demanded that the defendant return all the stolen amounts, namely 200,000 FCFA to the first victim and two million FCFA to the second. The representative of the public prosecutor, however, tempered his requisitions by specifying that the accused was a “first-time offender,” a status that could work in his favor during the final decision.
For its part, the defense pleaded for the Court’s leniency, asking the judges to take into account the period of provisional detention already served by their client. The case has been put under deliberation by the CRIET, which will pronounce its verdict on August 31, 2026.
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