Dangnivo case: the defense lawyers threaten to withdraw from the trial
The trial linked to the Pierre Urbain Dangnivo case has taken a new turn this Wednesday, July 15, 2026, before the Court of First Instance of Cotonou.
SUMMARY
Just after the public prosecutor’s requisitions requesting the Court to keep Alofa in custody and to sentence him to 30 years of criminal imprisonment, the defense lawyers requested a postponement of their pleadings to next Friday.
A reclassification of the facts denounced by the lawyers
To justify this request for postponement, the defendants’ counsel argues that the public prosecutor reclassified the facts during its requisitions. The defense believes that this approach introduces new elements into the debate, on which it is essential to hear the defendants again in order to guarantee the rights of the defense.
Faced with this situation, the lawyers demanded a 48-hour extension to reorganize their defense strategy. They openly threatened to withdraw from the trial if the court refused to grant this request.
The court faces a procedural choice
This tension arises as the prosecution has just requested the abandonment of charges against Donatien Amoussou and a 30-year sentence against Codjo Alofa. The judges must now rule on the request for postponement made by the defense, a decision that will determine the immediate future of this trial that has been ongoing for sixteen years.
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