Benin Court Hands Down Sentences in Illegal Burial, Fuel Fraud Cases

Abomey-Calavi Court Sentences Family for Illegal Burial, Man for Fuel Fraud Abomey-Calavi, Benin – In a pair of unrelated cases heard this past Friday, a Benin court handed down sentences for illegal burial attempts and fuel-related fraud. Six members of a single family were each sentenced to three months in prison with a suspended sentence and a 100,000 CFA franc fine for attempting to bury a relative at their home without proper authorization. Police intervened, reporting the family was hostile. "The video evidence clearly showed verbal abuse towards the officers," stated a court official. Meanwhile, in a separate case, a man was sentenced to five months imprisonment for fraud related to the resale of fuel. He was ordered to repay 1.2 million CFA francs to his victims. The court rejected the man's defense that shortfalls in fuel quantity were due to client debts, instead concluding that it was a clear breach of trust. These cases highlight ongoing issues of illegal practices and fraud in the region.