A criminal court judge in Togo has moved to ban the distribution of Tribune d’Afrique, a bimonthly Benin newspaper, that had raised questions about the alleged involvement of a half-brother of President Faure GnassingbĂ© in drug trafficking. The ban was placed because of an article titled “Drug trafficking at top of the state, Togo in the network, Mey Gnassingbe fingered.” Togo-based editor Aurel KedotĂ©, reporter Cudjoe Amekudzi and chief executive officer Marlène de la Bardonnie have been fined and a judge has ordered the newspaper to pay 60 million CFA francs.
On 25 August, President Faure Essozimna GnassingbĂ© filed a separate defamation lawsuit against the IndĂ©pendant Express. The weekly newspaper published articles that the president has deemed insulting. President GnassingbĂ© demanded 100 million CFA (approx. US$200,000) in damages over the “enormous harm” to his reputation.
