The verdict was handed down this Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Cotonou. Soumaila Sounon Boké , former parliamentarian of the opposition party Les Démocrates , was found guilty by the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET).

The verdict of the Criet

The court handed down a five-year prison sentence and a fine of 10 million FCFA (approximately 15,000 euros). The charges were as follows:

1. Apology for crimes against state security ;
2. Incitement to hatred and violence .

The defendant received the verdict with impassive silence, while his relatives expressed their emotion in the courtroom. His lawyer, Aboubacar Ba Parapé, denouncing the sentence as excessively harsh, announced his intention to appeal as early as Wednesday.

A WhatsApp message at the heart of the case

The case dates back to December 7th , the day of the failed coup attempt against President Patrice Talon. The trigger was a message posted by the former member of parliament in a WhatsApp group chat:

"It's a day of celebration."

For the court, this message reflected blatant jubilation at the attempt to destabilize the government. For the defense and the accused, it was an "unfinished sentence, sent inadvertently." Presenting himself as a patriot committed to democratic values, the former elected official nevertheless failed to convince the judges of the Special Criminal Court (CRIET).

A journey marked by resignation

Arrested fifteen days after the events of December, Soumaila Sounon Boké had already adopted a posture of resignation during the previous hearings, placing his fate in the hands of “providence”.

It should be noted that during his period of pre-trial detention, he had chosen to resign from his political party , Les Démocrates .