The Senegalese opponent, Ousmane Sonko, returns to the Dakar Court, this Thursday, March 16, 2023, in the context of the defamation lawsuit brought against him by the Minister of Tourism, Mame Mbaye Niang. The complainant refutes the accusations of embezzlement of the sum of 29 billion CFA francs from the Program of Community Agricultural Domains (PRODAC) brought against him by Ousmane Sonko. He intends to clear his honor before the judges, especially since the founder of the party, Pastef, says he has a report from the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) implicating him.
The trial was opened on February 16, after a huge uproar caused by Sonko’s supporters, and then postponed to today’s date. Apart from the strong mobilization of fans of the accused, which almost led to slippages, the opening of the trial was also marred by a memorable incident. Returning from the hearing, Sonko had been forcibly extracted from the back seat of his vehicle by elements of the police, who had previously broken the window. The opponent was subsequently brought home safe and sound. In view of the difficult beginnings of the defamation trial, it is not clear that its resumption takes place in a less tense atmosphere.
The Senegalese Opposition, which cries out for harassment against its leader, has already announced its colors, with the holding of a “giga meeting” and national marches in the 46 departments of the country, on March 14 and 15, 2023. Fortunately, these demonstrations, aimed at denouncing “the instrumentalization of justice against opponents”, were authorized by the authorities. Otherwise, clashes would still occur in the streets of Senegal, since the Opposition had warned to ignore any ban on its activities. The Senegalese government denies violating human rights, but it is difficult not to suspect it of leading a hunt for opponents, one year before the next presidential election.
Ousmane Sonko, the most serious challenger to President Macky Sall, seems to be particularly in the crosshairs of the black cabinets of the republic. The succession of his legal setbacks seems strange, if it does not raise questions. Beyond the indignation that the defamation trial arouses in his entourage, Sonko is risking a lot in this affair. Just like in the one relating to the story of rape, in which he has been involved, since March 2021. He had been imprisoned in connection with this case, only to be released under judicial supervision and sent back, in January 2023, to court. for a trial, the date of which has not yet been set. A declared presidential candidate on February 25, 2024, Sonko could see his chances compromised if convicted in these two cases. Senegalese laws provide for ineligibility penalties for certain offenses such as those for which Sonko is charged.
These two files could seal the fate of the Senegalese opponent and blur his future. How not to think, under these conditions, that the opponent is the target of a system. If President Macky Sall, who keeps his ambitions vague, prepares the ground for a third term deemed illegal, he runs the risk of plunging his country into a deplorable situation. Attacking Sonko is a dangerous project, as he is very popular with Senegalese youth who see in him a possibility of alternation, a symbol of renewal. He is considered in Senegalese opinion as a man of integrity and conviction. His arrest in the rape case, we remember, had sparked violence, with a dozen deaths. Macky Sall walks on eggshells and he must be careful…
Patrick Kader
