Former Benin police chief General Louis Philippe Houndegnon has been detained pending trial on charges of incitement to rebellion, judicial sources confirmed on Friday.
Houndegnon, who was a powerful figure under former President Thomas Boni Yayi, was arrested less than two months after several high-profile government figures were detained and accused of plotting a coup.
The former police chief was dismissed from his post in 2016 by current President Patrice Talon, and political tensions have since been rising in the country. Sources close to Houndegnon said he remains calm and in good spirits as he awaits his trial, set for December 16.
Benin, a small West African nation with a population of 11 million, is facing increasing political turmoil. Tensions are mounting within President Talon’s government, especially as the country approaches the end of Talon’s second and final presidential term in 2026.
In September, two of Talon’s former allies, businessman Olivier Boko and ex-sports minister Oswald Homeky, were also arrested and accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
Once seen as a beacon of democracy in the region, Benin has become increasingly authoritarian under Talon’s rule, critics argue.
