Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COTONOU278
2009-07-06 10:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Cotonou
Cable title:
BENIN: POLICE INTERCEPTS 11 ALLEGED TRAFFICKING VICTIMS IN
how-toVZCZCXRO6872 PP RUEHMA RUEHPA DE RUEHCO #0278 1871001 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 061001Z JUL 09 FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1003 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 1314 RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0315 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1476 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0448
UNCLAS COTONOU 000278
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/ (W ACOOK),G/TIP (VZEITLIN),AND INL
LONDON FOR PETER LORD
PARIS FOR BKANEDA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KTIP KCRM ELAB BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: POLICE INTERCEPTS 11 ALLEGED TRAFFICKING VICTIMS IN
TRANSIT TO NIGERIA
UNCLAS COTONOU 000278
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/ (W ACOOK),G/TIP (VZEITLIN),AND INL
LONDON FOR PETER LORD
PARIS FOR BKANEDA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KTIP KCRM ELAB BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: POLICE INTERCEPTS 11 ALLEGED TRAFFICKING VICTIMS IN
TRANSIT TO NIGERIA
1. SUMMARY: On June 20, 2009, Beninese Security Forces intercepted
a vehicle in Cotonou transporting eleven children from the
Togo-Benin border to be allegedly trafficked to Lagos, Nigeria. On
June 22, 2009, the Minors' Protection Brigade (BPM) interviewed the
alleged traffickers and the victims and referred them to the Court
of Cotonou for further legal action. END SUMMARY.
2. On June 20, 2009, officers of the Dantopka's Police Station, in
Cotonou, intercepted a car transporting eleven Togolese children who
had entered Benin at Hillacondji, the Benin-Togo border station. The
car was passing through Cotonou, en route to the Nigerian border,
when the police stopped it. The police handed over the eleven
allegedly trafficked children, the suspected trafficker (a Togolese
woman),and the driver to the BPM.
3. On June 22, 2009, the BPM interviewed the two suspects and the
eleven children. The Head of the BPM, Commissioner Louis Tokpanou,
told Post that the woman claimed she was accompanying the children
to Lagos where they would spend holidays with their respective
relatives, a piece of information confirmed by the children. She
said that she was acquainted with only eight of the children, but a
friend asked her to take the three other children to Lagos as well.
Tokpanou said that some of the rescued children had ID cards, which
made identification easier. Following the interception of the
alleged victims, individuals of Nigerian nationality rushed in to
the BMP and claimed that they were the children's relatives living
in Lagos.
4. After the interview phase, the BPM referred the children, the
persons claiming to be the children's relatives, the Togolese woman,
and the driver to the prosecutor at Cotonou's Court for further
action. It then sent the alleged victims to the Cotonou based Swiss
NGO Terre des Hommes shelter, for care. Tokpanou says he can not
assert that the case constitutes a child-trafficking without further
investigation by the prosecutor.
5. Commissioner Topkanou briefed the press on the case. Initial
media reaction suggested that the suspected woman was a known
child-trafficker.
BOUSTANI
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/ (W ACOOK),G/TIP (VZEITLIN),AND INL
LONDON FOR PETER LORD
PARIS FOR BKANEDA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KTIP KCRM ELAB BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: POLICE INTERCEPTS 11 ALLEGED TRAFFICKING VICTIMS IN
TRANSIT TO NIGERIA
1. SUMMARY: On June 20, 2009, Beninese Security Forces intercepted
a vehicle in Cotonou transporting eleven children from the
Togo-Benin border to be allegedly trafficked to Lagos, Nigeria. On
June 22, 2009, the Minors' Protection Brigade (BPM) interviewed the
alleged traffickers and the victims and referred them to the Court
of Cotonou for further legal action. END SUMMARY.
2. On June 20, 2009, officers of the Dantopka's Police Station, in
Cotonou, intercepted a car transporting eleven Togolese children who
had entered Benin at Hillacondji, the Benin-Togo border station. The
car was passing through Cotonou, en route to the Nigerian border,
when the police stopped it. The police handed over the eleven
allegedly trafficked children, the suspected trafficker (a Togolese
woman),and the driver to the BPM.
3. On June 22, 2009, the BPM interviewed the two suspects and the
eleven children. The Head of the BPM, Commissioner Louis Tokpanou,
told Post that the woman claimed she was accompanying the children
to Lagos where they would spend holidays with their respective
relatives, a piece of information confirmed by the children. She
said that she was acquainted with only eight of the children, but a
friend asked her to take the three other children to Lagos as well.
Tokpanou said that some of the rescued children had ID cards, which
made identification easier. Following the interception of the
alleged victims, individuals of Nigerian nationality rushed in to
the BMP and claimed that they were the children's relatives living
in Lagos.
4. After the interview phase, the BPM referred the children, the
persons claiming to be the children's relatives, the Togolese woman,
and the driver to the prosecutor at Cotonou's Court for further
action. It then sent the alleged victims to the Cotonou based Swiss
NGO Terre des Hommes shelter, for care. Tokpanou says he can not
assert that the case constitutes a child-trafficking without further
investigation by the prosecutor.
5. Commissioner Topkanou briefed the press on the case. Initial
media reaction suggested that the suspected woman was a known
child-trafficker.
BOUSTANI