The shockwaves from the violence committed within the Catholic institution in Bétharram have now spread beyond French borders. A second complaint has just been filed in France by an Ivorian victim, denouncing abuses that occurred in Abidjan in the early 1990s.

A suspect at the heart of the case: Father Benat Ségur

The main person implicated in this Ivorian case is the French priest Benat Ségur . His background raises serious questions.

1. 1980s: He managed the Bétharram establishment in the Southwest of France.
2. 1990s: He was appointed head of the Saint-Bernard parish in Adiopodoumé, Abidjan.
3. Criminal record: Already the subject of 13 complaints in France for rape and sexual assault, he died in 2010, making any criminal prosecution impossible.

Ivory Coast, an international "epicenter"

Although the events are legally time-barred, the systemic nature of the case has prompted an independent commission of inquiry.

"Ivory Coast appears to be the epicenter of the Bétharram affair abroad." — Jean-Pierre Massias , chairman of the commission.

To date, around ten testimonies report violence committed on Ivorian territory, suggesting a modus operandi that has been exported with members of the congregation.

A mission to find the truth

The chairman of the commission, Jean-Pierre Massias, will travel to Ivory Coast in early February with clear objectives:

1. Identify other potential victims and break the silence.
2. Meet with local authorities and the clergy of the parish concerned.
3. Analyze the mechanisms of impunity that allowed these actions to continue without being reported.