09/08/2026
A particularly gruesome case is now in the hands of the Beninese police. A young man was arrested during the night of Thursday, August 6, 2026, in Agla Akansôdji, Cotonou, after being suspected of murdering his father, whose decapitated body was found near the family home.
According to the initial information released by the Benin Republican Police, the suspect allegedly attempted to find a buyer for his father’s head. Arrested at around 4 a.m., he reportedly then led investigators to his home, located behind a primary school in Dékoungbé. However, once there, he allegedly changed his story and denied the allegations against him.
The police nevertheless continued their investigations. The suspect’s mother reportedly told them that her husband was in the village attending a ceremony. However, the man could not be reached, and his bedroom was locked.
The following day, a further search of the premises led investigators to discover part of the victim’s body in a marshy area behind the house. The victim’s head was later found inside a bag hidden under a table in the yard.
Identified as T. C., the victim had several injuries believed to have been inflicted with a machete. The motive for the crime has yet to be established. An investigation into the murder of a legitimate ascendant has been opened under the authority of the Public Prosecutor.