In Benin, the Court for Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET) has declared itself incompetent to continue the prosecution of former Police Director General Louis Philippe Houndégnon. The court said the charges are criminal in nature, not economic or terrorism-related.

As a result, the case has been referred for further investigation by an investigating judge. Houndégnon, who faces accusations of electronic harassment and incitement to rebellion, remains in pretrial detention.

The CRIET had been handling the case for months, and during the last hearing, the prosecution requested a two-year sentence and a two-million CFA franc fine. The defense now has 15 days to appeal the decision.

Lawyer Elie Dovonou, representing Houndégnon, said the legal team would decide on the next steps after consulting with their client.