FBI proves drugs toxic for Benin’s president after poisoning attempt foiled

COTONOU. The scientific laboratory of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has revealed that the contents of the medical drugs and the chemical products meant to be administered to Benin’s President Boni Yayi were toxic, an official source has said.Benin’s public prosecutor Justin Gbenameto on Monday said in Cotonou that the toxic drugs were to be administered to Benin’s president by his personal doctor, with the assistance of the president’s niece.“The FBI’s biomedical laboratory revealed that the president’s usual drugs were changed,” the prosecutor said.“The content of Dafalgan 500 mg tablets which are usually consumed by President Yayi were changed and replaced by a deadly substance whose toxicity was proven. The contents of the other drugs were equally altered,” Gbenameto affirmed, citing results from the FBI biomedical laboratory.He explained that the examination by FBI revealed the presence of Q26 substance (sufentanyl), Q27 (atracurium/Cisatracurium) and Q28 (Ketamine), whose sale is formally prohibited due to their high toxicity levels.He also said the finger prints of Ibrahima Mama Cisse, Yayi’s personal doctor, were discovered on the cartons containing the deadly drugs.On Oct. 22, 2012, three people including the president’s niece, Zouberatou Kora Seke, his personal doctor Ibrahima Mama Cisse and Benin’s ex-commerce minister Moudjadou Soumanou were arrested for attempting to poison Yayi by use of medical drugs.A High Court in Cotonou issued two international arrest warrants against two Benin’s economic operators, Patrice Talon and Olivier Bocco, who were suspected of having hatched the plan to poison President Yayi.At the Paris Court of Appeal, a case has been filed for the extradition of Patrice Talon and Olivier Bocco, so that they can face justice in Benin.