Senegal: former Prime Minister Hadjibou Soumaré under judicial supervision and charged

Photo of former Senegalese Prime Minister Cheikh Hadjibou Soumare taken on September 17, 2007. AFP - SEYLLOU DIALLO

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In Senegal, Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré was placed under judicial control, and charged this Friday, March 10 for “spreading false news and defamation”, according to his lawyer.

The former Prime Minister had been placed in police custody on Thursday, following a letter made public addressed to President Macky Sall, in which he questioned him in particular about a possible "donation" of money "to a French

political

figure

"

, evoking the sum of 12 million euros.

Allegations concerning Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally who visited Senegal in January.

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With our correspondent in Dakar

,

Charlotte Idrac

Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré left the courthouse free at midday.

Under judicial supervision, he has no right to speak about the case and has made no comment.

But for Fallou Blaise Diouf, part of his Democracy and Republic party, the accusations are "

light

".

"

He simply asked questions

" to the Head of State "

concerning the management of public money

", and "

without naming anyone

", "

in a democracy, it is a right

", reacted the official .

According to him, "the

State uses justice to settle its own accounts

".

The former Prime Minister received the support of several opposition and civil society figures.

But for Minister Birame Faye, Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré should not have made “

serious, cowardly, without any proof

” insinuations, he said.

Even in the form of questions, it comes out of nowhere

”, President Macky Sall “ 

only gave his book to Marine Le Pen

”, continues the framework of the APR the presidential party.

He wanted to "

hurt

" the head of state, believes for his part Ibrahima Mendy, APR official in Ziguinchor, "

with a political objective

" according to him, to "

 bring himself into the light

" in view of the presidential election scheduled for 2024. 

To read also Senegal: Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré in police custody after mentioning a "donation" from Macky Sall to Marine Le Pen

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