Senegal: Court Jails Opposition Politician For Six Months

Barthelemy Días

The Mayor of the Dakar commune of Sicap-Mermoz, Barthelemy Días, was Tuesday sentenced to six months in prison.

The Senegalese politician was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 100,000 CFA francs ($188; £132) for "contempt of court, discrediting a judicial decision and incitement to disturb public order".

Mr Dias, had hit out at last month's sentencing of fellow politician Khalifa Sall.

 He is seen as a close ally of Dakar mayor Mr Sall, who was ordered to serve five years in prison for “embezzling” $3.4m (£2.4m) worth of public funds.

Mr Sall's conviction bars him from next year's elections, when he had been expected to present a strong challenge to President Macky Sall. His supporters said his sentencing was politically motivated.

Mr Dias's laywer, El Hadji Diouf, says he will appeal against the verdict in his client's case, which he labels "unjust".

Senegal is one of the most stable democracies in West Africa.

It is the only country on mainland West Africa never to have had a military coup.


(BBC)




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