The Court for the Suppression of Economic Offences and Terrorism (CRIET) delivered its verdict on Monday, December 23, 2024. It condemned the former national director of public procurement control, Éric Yétongnon, as well as several other defendants involved in a fraud case related to the award of public contracts.

The former national director of public procurement control, and the other defendants were being prosecuted for irregularities observed in the award of public contracts within SBEE, CNLS-TP, ABERME and the Ministry of Energy. Éric Yétongnon was sentenced to 5 years in prison, a fine of 18 million CFA francs, as well as the confiscation of several assets, including a plot built in Agla and a 6-hectare estate in Houèdo (Abomey-Calavi) for having been convicted of abuse of functions and money laundering. Three defendants received sentences of 2 years in prison with fines of between 2 and 5 million CFA francs. A businessman was sentenced to 5 years in prison and a fine of 2 billion CFA francs for complicity in abuse of functions, false certificates and money laundering. Two ex-PRMPs (Persons Responsible for Public Procurement) from the Ministry of Energy and CNLS-TP were sentenced to 36 months in prison with fines of 500,000 FCFA. Two ex-PRMPs from SBEE and CNLS-TP, as well as a third accused, were each sentenced to 5 years in prison.