No fewer than 30 people, the majority of them soldiers, have been remanded in custody in the Benin Republic over their alleged roles in a failed coup attempt against President Patrice Talon earlier this month.
The suspects were arraigned before a special prosecutor at the Court for Economic Crimes and Terrorism in Cotonou, where they faced charges bordering on treason, murder and actions deemed capable of undermining state security.
Their arrest followed dramatic events on December 7, when a group of soldiers appeared on national television to announce that President Talon had been overthrown. The declaration, however, proved short-lived as forces loyal to the government swiftly regained control, reportedly with support from the Nigerian Air Force and French special forces.
Security sources said the aborted power grab left several people dead, while the alleged mastermind of the plot, Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, alongside other mutinous officers, remains at large.
After their court appearance on Monday, the accused were ordered into pre-trial detention on Tuesday, pending further investigation and prosecution.
Meanwhile, Chabi Yayi, son of former Beninese president and opposition leader Thomas Boni Yayi, was released after questioning. Although freed, he is still under investigation in connection with the coup bid, with authorities yet to disclose specific details of his alleged involvement. He is said to be affiliated with an opposition party linked to his father.
