His clients' trust was allegedly his primary tool. In Ouagadougou, a 25-year-old Mobile Money shop manager is being prosecuted for embezzling a total of 1,425,000 CFA francs belonging to elderly people, most of whom are illiterate. At the hearing on November 10, 2026, the prosecution requested a 24-month prison sentence and a 500,000 CFA franc fine, both without parole. The verdict is expected on November 24.
On Tuesday, at the Ouaga I High Court, at least seven victims took the stand to demand compensation. All of them frequented the shop of the young defendant, who had managed their financial transactions for about four years. Through serving them so regularly, he had come to know the secret codes of several of his clients.
According to the proceedings, the young man allegedly exploited this close relationship to gradually empty their accounts. Some victims gave him their phones to make withdrawals, unaware that he was using the opportunity to siphon off additional sums for his own benefit. Others entrusted him with money for deposits that were never actually made.
The amounts involved ranged from 300,000 to 500,000 CFA francs, according to the victims. The shop owner was also affected: 680,000 CFA francs were allegedly withdrawn from his business's working capital.
Faced with these accusations, the defendant did not contest the facts. He admitted to using the embezzled money for his personal expenses, citing in particular the financial difficulties related to his wife's pregnancy and a possible cesarean section. He explained that he had even given his wife 300,000 CFA francs to cover potential medical expenses.
This justification failed to convince the presiding judge, who reminded him of the vulnerability of his victims. Some, he emphasized, live by doing odd jobs, such as laundry, to meet their daily needs. "These are people who can neither read nor write, who are struggling to make ends meet, and you are taking advantage of them," he exclaimed.
In his submissions, the prosecutor of Burkina Faso distinguished the facts according to their nature. He requested that the defendant be found guilty of breach of trust for the acts concerning five victims, while the withdrawals made directly from the accounts of the other plaintiffs should be reclassified as theft.
The prosecution has requested a 24-month prison sentence, along with a fine of 500,000 CFA francs, also to be served. They have also asked that the defendant be ordered to compensate the victims for the damages suffered.
The court has taken the case under advisement. The verdict is expected on November 24, 2026.
Djamila Kambou
Learn more about Africa News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
