Judge who ruled against Beninese president returns from exile

Former Beninese judge Angelo Houssou returned home over the weekend after living in exile in the U.S. for 18 months.

Houssou fled into exile in the U.S. in December 2013 after having given a "no case" verdict in the proceedings on attempted poisoning of Beninese President Boni Yayi.

Houssou announced his return to the country in a letter written to the Beninese public over the weekend.

"The persecutions are behind me. As you already know, despite the opportunities the U.S. offered me, I voluntarily decided to terminate my request for asylum and return to serve my nation," he said, adding that "it is a choice that was carefully considered."

The cases regarding attempts to poison the president and a coup, date back to the period between 2012 and 2013. Beninese businessman Patrice Talon and his close confidant Olivier Boko were accused of being the masterminds.

On May 14, 2014, when the two cases were proceeding in court, Yayi declared in a message to the nation that he had forgiven all those implicated in the two cases.