JUSTICE / CRIET: Five-year prison sentence, two of which are to be served, requested for Samuel Akindes Adékambi
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑬𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝑪𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒎 (𝑪𝑹𝑰𝑬𝑻) 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒂𝒎𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝑨𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝑨𝒅𝒆́𝒌𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒊 𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝑱𝒖𝒍𝒚 6, 2026, 𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒖. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 12𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆. 𝑨𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆, 𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝑨𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒍𝒆 375 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝒐𝒅𝒆.
At the start of the proceedings, Yasmine Comlan, assistant to Lionel Talon, was called to testify. She confirmed that she had given the defendant three million CFA francs on behalf of her employer. However, she indicated that she was unable to specify whether this sum was intended to finance an election campaign or the Eya community center project.
At the previous hearing on June 1, 2026, Samuel Akindes Adékambi presented his version of events. He explained that his relationship with Lionel Talon dated back approximately three years, in connection with a project to build a football field for the benefit of the youth of Akogbato, in the 12th arrondissement of Cotonou. According to the defendant, the initial proposal only included a cultural center called « Eya. » He then requested that a football field be added to the project before giving his approval.
Regarding the financial transactions mentioned in the case, Samuel Akindes Adékambi denied receiving the 200,000 FCFA allegedly intended for organizing a reception for the youth of Akogbato. However, he admitted to receiving three million FCFA, while maintaining that this money was given to him to finance his election campaign and not the community project.
He also stated that Lionel Talon had initially refused him financial support due to his absence during previous election campaigns. After discussions, the two men reportedly agreed on a donation of three million CFA francs, delivered by Lionel Talon’s assistant following a meeting dedicated to the Akogbato project.
The defendant further stated that he was arrested by agents of the Economic and Financial Brigade (BEF) on May 1, 2026, a few days after receiving this sum, while participating in a march to thank President Patrice Talon.
Following closing arguments, the defense lawyers requested the outright acquittal of their client. The Court adjourned the deliberations until July 27, 2026.
By Iréné N’KOUE (Intern)
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