The Togolese justice system has issued arrest warrants for four Beninese suspected of having carried out the "kidnapping" in Lomé of Steve Amoussou, whom they took to be the famous columnist Brother Hounvi.
Four Beninese are wanted by the Togolese justice system in the case of the alleged Brother Hounvi. Steve Amoussou was kidnapped by four hooded individuals and transported to Cotonou, where he was presented to the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (Criet) and then placed in custody.
According to a press release broadcast on Togolese national television, the public prosecutor of the Lomé court has issued an international arrest warrant for four alleged kidnappers of Steve Amoussou. The warrants were issued after an investigation by the Criminal Investigation and Research Service, revealing the involvement of six people in total, including four Beninese who entered Togo since August 10, 2024.
Three of them were identified as Ouanilo Fagla Medegan, director of the National Center for Digital Investigations (CNIN), Géraud Gbaguidi alias Jojo, member of the management staff of the singer Vano Baby, and Gnandaho Gimmy, martial arts athlete.
A Beninese beautician based in Lomé and a Togolese taxi driver were implicated in the case and placed in custody on August 23, 2024, prosecuted for “complicity in the acts of kidnapping or sequestration” according to the new penal code of Togo.
For the Togolese justice system, the kidnapping of Steve Amoussou is a flagrant violation of international law and the rules on international criminal cooperation.
The events in Lomé from 12 to 13 August led to confusion over the identity of Steve Amoussou, initially presented as Brother Hounvi by part of the Beninese opposition and his lawyers. However, during his appearance before the CRIET special prosecutor, he reportedly denied being Brother Hounvi.
By Edouard Djogbénou
*This article has been translated from French into English by Marcus Boni Teiga
Source : https://beninwebtv.com
Bénin Web TV (BENIN
