On June 1st, 2023, the Criminal Chamber of Dakar judged Ousmane Sonko and Adji Sarr and sentenced Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison for youth corruption. The prosecution had requested 10 years of criminal imprisonment for rape or 5 years in prison for the offense of “youth corruption” for Ousmane Sonko, but he did not show up at the courthouse for his trial on May 23rd.
Since the start of this long procedure in February 2021, Ousmane Sonko has always denounced a “plot” to exclude him from the presidential election scheduled for February 2024. An imposing security device has been deployed in the Senegalese capital.
The political opponent is condemned to two years firm, for corruption of the youth. The facts of rape and death threats were therefore not accepted by the criminal chamber of the Dakar Court on June 1st, 2023.
The owner of the massage parlor, Ndeye Khady Ndiaye, was also sentenced to two years in prison for incitement to debauchery.
“The corruption of youth” is an offense provided for in the penal code, in article 324, and which concerns “anyone who has attacked morals by inciting, favoring or facilitating the debauchery or corruption of the youth of one or the other sex, below the age of 21”. However, according to the date of birth of Adji Sarr, she was 20 years old at the time of the events.
“It is a Penalty of Ineligibility”
For Master Bamba Cissé, a lawyer for Ousmane Sonko, at the exit of the court, the fact that the rape was dismissed shows, according to him, that it was a plot. Still according to the lawyer, “With this two-year sentence, Ousmane Sonko cannot be a candidate for the presidential election of 2024, it is a sentence of ineligibility”. Asked about the judicial follow-up, Master Bamba Cissé replied: “In matters of absentia, it is not possible to appeal. On the technical side, we will advise. »