14. On 3 April 2018 , the Registry further notified the parties that the Court would hold a public hearing on the case on 30 April 2018, and accordingly requested them to submit their briefs on the merits not later than 16 April 2018. 15. On 9 May 2018, the Court held the public hearing on the matter and commenced deliberation. 16.ln a letter dated 15 October 2018 received on 16 October 2018, the Applicant filed new allegations by which he informed this Court that the State of Benin recently established a special court named "Anti- Economic Crimes and Terrorism Court" (CRIET) to once again hear the case of international drug trafficking in which he was involved. According to the Applicant, this new procedure generated new violations of his rights and prayed the Court to issue an Order requesting the Respondent State to stay his trial before CRIET. 17.On 26 October 2018, the Applicant informed the Court that CRIET had on 18 October 2018 rendered Judgment No. 007/3C.COR sentencing him to twenty years of imprisonment and five million CFA francs in fines, and issued an international arrest warrant against him; he requested an Order for a stay of execution of the said Judgment. On 12 November 2018 , the Applicant reiterated his request for a stay of execution of CRIET Judgment. Notified thereof on 20 November 2018 , the Respondent State on 14 November 2018 submitted its observations on admissibility of the new allegations and on the Application for a stay of execution . 18. On 5 December 2018, the Court issued an Order staying the deliberation and reopening written proceedings in the case. It also declared admissible the new evidence filed by the parties after commencement of the deliberation. 19. By another Order issued on 7 December 2018, the Court ordered the Respondent State to stay execution of CRIET Judgment No. 007/3C .COR pending this Court's final determination on this matter. The Court also allowed the Respondent State fifteen (15) days to submit to the Court, a report on the measures taken to implement the Order for a stay of execution of the aforesaid CRIET Judgment. I