Benin: Businessman and former minister go get new lawyers wey court go give dem

Olivier Boko wey be businessman and Oswald Homéky wey be former Minister of Sports go now get lawyers wey the president of National Bar Association for Benin go find for dem. Dem talk this matter for court on Wednesday, January 22, for the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (Criet). Dem accuse dem say dem plan bad thing against the country, bribe government worker, and use fake documents. 

For court, dem ask the two men whether dem don try find new lawyers because the lawyers wey dey work for dem before no dey again. Olivier Boko talk say, “We dey inside cell every time. The way dem lock us no give us chance to talk to anybody. We no fit do anything.” 

Mario Mètonou wey be government lawyer tell the court say the law no go allow dem question the two men if lawyer no dey with dem. E tell the court make dem ask the president of National Bar Association to find new lawyers for the two men so the case fit continue on Thursday, January 23. The judge agree and shift the case go another day. 

The law talk say lawyers wey court give must register for bar association. If the lawyer no dey stay for the same town wey the court dey, dem go pay for the lawyer travel money. The lawyers go get all the papers dem need to defend the two men well, and the two men go get free copies of the important papers. 

Olivier Boko and Oswald Homéky don talk before say e no make sense to expect new lawyer to sabi their case fast-fast. After dem shift the hearing, Olivier Boko talk say, “I get money to pay my own lawyers.”