Benin: Several months after the Akpakpa fire, two Indo-Pakistani nationals face justice

The Cotonou Court of First Instance examined on July 15, 2026 the case of the deadly fire of January 11, 2025 in Ayélawadjè (Akpakpa). Two Indo-Pakistani nationals, charged with involuntary homicide, appeared under judicial supervision. The fire, caused by a short circuit in a warehouse containing chemicals stored under false pretenses, killed nine people and injured several others. The hearing marks a new judicial step more than a year after the tragedy.