Two senior council officials in Benin have been dismissed for mismanaging public funds, with the government announcing legal proceedings against them and their accomplices.
The move follows investigations uncovering serious financial misconduct in the municipalities of Adjarra and Toucountouna.
According to a statement from the Council of Ministers released on Wednesday, the Executive Secretaries of both town halls were removed from their roles after inspection missions revealed acts of fraud.
In Adjarra, an investigation by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) in December 2024 found that the Executive Secretary and the Director of Local Development and Planning had conspired to overcharge the government by three million CFA francs for two services. They arranged for an illegal commission of one million CFA francs, of which 800,000 CFA francs was paid by the contractor involved.
A dispute over how to divide this unlawful payment exposed the corruption between the two officials.
In Toucountouna, the misconduct involved tampering with official documents and misusing public funds. The Executive Secretary there is accused of fraudulently editing a prefectural decree to wrongfully allocate municipal funds to cover a July 2024 trip to Belgium, despite the original council resolution not allowing such expenses.
This manipulation led to the release of 602,000 CFA francs for costs such as documentation and accommodation in Cotonou – none of which were eligible under the budget. The fraud came to light during the processing of an additional 995,000 CFA francs for the same trip. Despite being warned by the prefect, the official failed to repay the funds before an inspection in March 2025.
In response to these “serious breaches of duty” that undermine public trust, the Council of Ministers has not only dismissed the officials involved but has also directed the appropriate ministries to apply further disciplinary action.
