(Ecofin Agency) - In a new statement, CRIET special prosecutor Mario Metonou confirmed that former minister Oswald Homeky, the Republican Guard commander, and businessman Olivier Boko were arrested for attempting a coup.

Benin’s former Sports Minister Oswald Homeky, businessman Olivier Boko, and the head of the Republican Guard were arrested on the night of September 23-24, 2024. The arrests were announced in a statement by Mario Metonou, the special prosecutor of the Court for the Repression of Economic Crimes and Terrorism (CRIET).

According to the prosecutor, the three men are accused of plotting to overthrow President Patrice Talon. "Initial investigations show that the commander of the Republican Guard, responsible for the president's security, was approached by Minister Oswald Homeky on behalf of himself and Mr. Olivier Boko to carry out a coup on September 27, 2024. In this context, a bank account was opened on August 6, 2024, at NSIA Banque Côte d'Ivoire in the commander's name, with an initial deposit of CFA105 million," the statement said.

The document also revealed that former minister Homeky and the Republican Guard commander, Dieudonné Tévoedjré, were arrested while the latter was receiving "six bags filled with cash." CFA1.5 billion (about $2.5 million) was reportedly involved in the coup attempt.

This announcement comes just over a year before Benin's next presidential election in April 2026. President Patrice Talon, now ineligible to run due to constitutional limits, has stated he will not seek re-election. Speculation about his successor has been circulating, with some rumors pointing to his close friend, Olivier Boko. Homeky, who resigned from his ministerial position last year, publicly supported Boko's potential candidacy.

Patrice Talon, a cotton magnate and former ally of ex-President Boni Yayi, came to power in 2016. Four years earlier, he was accused by Yayi of attempted poisoning, but the case was dismissed.

"The investigation is ongoing to identify everyone involved. I will provide updates as the process unfolds," concluded prosecutor Mario Metonou in his statement.