A local leader of the opposition party Les Démocrates was detained at the Missérété prison on the outskirts of Porto-Novo pending trial. On Monday night, the Court for the repression of economic crimes and terrorism (Criet) ordered his placement under a committal order for “criminal association and terrorist acts”. His lawyer and his party denounce imaginary facts and demand his immediate release.
Bio Dramane Tidjani, an important local figure of the party is prosecuted for “criminal association and terrorist acts”. His troubles began on February 22nd with a first hearing at the Court for the repression of economic crimes and terrorism (Criet) followed by several days in police custody.
On Monday when he returned to the Criet, the Chamber of Liberties sent him to prison with one of his collaborators suspected of having made his boss’s telephone disappear.
In terms of justice, there is total radio silence. Except that in his last report of the Council of Ministers, Alain Orounla, the government spokesman, declared: “Some politicians are working to exploit the population, to establish criminal links with mafia networks in order to provoke unrest in our country. It is within this framework that the PS has undertaken to listen to certain people whose reprehensible actions and suspicious activity require them to explain themselves before the courts».
All this is imaginary, denounces Me Renaud Agbodjo, he defends the accused: “Mr. Bio Dramane Tidjani is not involved in any terrorist activity. One cannot be a terrorist and respond without assistance to a summons from a special prosecutor. It is an abusive pursuit of a politician».
The Democrats say their activist is a political hostage. It is not known when he will be tried, no court date has been given.