Burkina Faso’s specialized economic and financial crimes court, known as the ÉCOFI division of the Ouaga I High Court, opened its first session of the 2026–2027 judicial year on October 19. The session, which runs until October 30, features 33 cases on the docket, including the ‘trading’ case, which court authorities say involves more than 1,000 alleged victims and funds collected estimated at several tens of billions of CFA francs.
The trading case, referenced under numbers RP 212/2019 and RI 008/2019, is scheduled for hearing on the opening day of the session. It involves more than 1,000 alleged victims and funds estimated in the tens of billions of CFA francs. The accused include three companies—Globumi SA, Barka Finance International SARL, and Royal Finance SARL—as well as the Club des Jeunes Entreprenants du Burkina Faso association and nine individuals. Charges include aggravated fraud, money laundering, and, for some, tax evasion.
Hearings are being held simultaneously in two courtrooms, starting at 9 a.m. each day, in accordance with the established schedule. The prosecutor has issued a public invitation to victims of the trading case and other cases on the docket to attend the hearings, either in person or through legal representatives. Victims are instructed to bring identification and any documents supporting their claims in order to register as civil parties and assert their rights in court.
The prosecutor’s office has emphasized that all accused persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final decision. For further information, interested persons may contact the prosecutor’s office.