A COURT in Senegal acquitted prominent opposition politician Ousmane Sonko of charges of rape and making death threats on Thursday but sentenced him to two years in prison for corrupting youth. The verdict poses a significant obstacle to Sonko’s potential candidacy for the presidential elections next year.
Sonko, 48, was accused of raping a woman employed at a massage parlour in 2021 and threatening her life. He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and chose to boycott the court proceedings. ‘With this sentence, Sonko cannot be a candidate,’ said Bamba Cisse, one of his lawyers. The electoral code of Senegal prohibits individuals convicted of a crime from running for political office.
The case has sparked violent street protests in the West African nation, with Sonko’s supporters condemning the charges as politically motivated. The government and the justice system have denied these allegations. The conviction of corrupting youth is considered a criminal offence in Senegal, involving immoral behaviour towards individuals under the age of 21. Sonko’s accuser was 20 at the time of the alleged incidents.
‘It is still an abuse towards a young girl,’ expressed El Hadj Diouf, one of the lawyers representing Sonko’s accuser. He expressed satisfaction with the verdict. The accuser will decide whether to appeal against the acquittals, Diouf added. Meanwhile, Sonko is separately appealing a six-month suspended prison sentence for libel. The implications of this case on his presidential aspirations remain unclear.
Sonko, a former tax inspector who finished third in the previous election, has tapped into public frustrations with President Macky Sall, which have intensified since Sall’s initial election in 2012. Critics argue that Sall has failed to generate employment opportunities and has suppressed opposition criticism amid rumours that he may attempt to circumvent presidential term limits and run again next year. Sall has neither confirmed nor denied these speculations.
Sonko has gained significant support among disillusioned urban youth, many of whom have responded to his calls for street protests against his legal troubles. These demonstrations have led to clashes with riot police and resulted in fatalities. While protests are not uncommon in Senegal, they have increased in frequency in the lead-up to elections. However, Sall’s second term has witnessed an especially turbulent period in a country traditionally regarded as one of West Africa’s strongest democracies.
On Wednesday, President Sall asserted that he would not stand idle in the face of ‘certain actors who have chosen to destroy the country.’ He promised free and transparent elections, emphasising that ‘those who shoot and kill are not our security forces.’ The political situation in Senegal remains tense as the nation navigates the aftermath of Sonko’s trial and prepares for the upcoming presidential race.