Benin's state prosecutor announced on Wednesday that a former sports minister and a prominent businessman have been arrested on suspicion of orchestrating a coup.
Oswald Homeky, the ex-sports minister, was apprehended around 1 a.m. on Tuesday while allegedly transferring six bags of cash to the head of the republican guard, who is responsible for the security of President Patrice Talon.
Investigators revealed that Homeky and businessman Olivier Boko had reportedly bribed the military commander to ensure compliance during a planned coup d'état set for September 27. Both Boko and the commander have also been detained, and authorities are actively investigating to uncover additional suspects, according to prosecutor Elon’m Mario Metonou.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of political instability in West and Central Africa, where eight military takeovers and several coup attempts have been reported since 2020. Despite previous efforts to move away from a reputation as a “coup belt,” ongoing insecurity and corruption have reemerged as significant challenges, allowing military leaders to exploit the situation.