Sonko case in Senegal: a commission to rule on his parliamentary immunity
The political opponent Ousmane Sonko is accused of rape with threats by a young woman who works in a massage parlor in Dakar.
SEYLLOU / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In Senegal, a new stage of the procedure concerning Ousmane Sonko, an ad hoc committee, was created on Monday February 15 at the National Assembly.
It will be responsible for ruling on the request for the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of the opposition MP.
Ousmane Sonko is accused of rape with threats by an employee of a massage parlor in Dakar.
He refused to respond to the summons from the gendarmerie by invoking this parliamentary immunity.
The procedure should last several more days.
Publicity
Read more
With our correspondent in Dakar,
Charlotte Idrac
It is a commission of eleven members including eight from the presidential majority, two from the Freedom and Democracy parliamentary group and one from non-members.
The list has yet to be ratified in plenary session at the National Assembly of Senegal.
Appointment is made for Wednesday February 17th.
After the vote, the procedure provides for a hearing of Ousmane Sonko before the ad hoc committee.
However, he would be entitled to refuse to respond to a summons, according to his defense, which states: "
We will advise
".
The committee will then make a report to lift or not the parliamentary immunity of the deputy, to make him available to the courts.
The decision will again be submitted to a plenary session.
The Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) is already opposed to any lifting of Ousmane Sonko's parliamentary immunity.
In a statement, its secretary general, former president Abdoulaye Wade, believes that the opponent "
lacked caution and was trapped
".
“
Apparently,
” he writes, “
his inexperience has been exploited by a powerful and smart opponent who knows his weaknesses”
.
The former head of state condemns "
this way of eliminating a political opponent
".
Read also: Senegal: the opponent Ousmane Sonko summoned to the gendarmerie following an accusation of rape
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Senegal
Justice
On the same subject
Senegal: one more step towards lifting the parliamentary immunity of the opponent Ousmane Sonko
Senegal: clashes between the police and supporters of the opponent Ousmane Sonko
Guest Africa
Sonko case: "There may be a two-tier justice system" in Senegal