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Police in Benin are holding six men in connection with the murder of national Under-20 goalkeeper Samiou 'Campos' Yessoufou.
Police in Benin are holding six men in connection with the murder of national Under-20 goalkeeper Samiou 'Campos' Yessoufou.
A seventh suspect is still on the run, judicial officials in the West African nation said, Wednesday.
Initially, football officials said Yessoufou was beaten up by angry fans at a bar but police have since said they believed the player was killed by thieves who stole his mobile phone.
Yessoufou was attacked in January 16, after Benin lost 3-0 to Nigeria in their opening match at the African Youth Championship being held in the capital, Cotonou.
Yessoufou, 18, died of his injuries the next day.
The tournament continued after the teenager's death and his team mates qualified for the World Youth Championship in the Netherlands later this year by reaching the semi-finals.
"(The six suspects) were questioned Monday by the attorney general and two counts of charges were upheld against them," said a judicial official.
Three of the suspects have been charged with criminal association and possession of stolen goods.
Four others, including the man on the run, have been charged with murder, violent robbery and criminal association.
The men are being detained and an investigating magistrate has been appointed to the case.
An autopsy is due to be carried out on Yessoufou's body in the next few days.
Doctors previously said that three fractures to the skull set off a deadly brain haemorrhage.