Thierno Alassane Sall reveals confidential note implicating Ousmane Sonko in ASER scandal
The 37 billion FCFA scandal involving the Senegalese Rural Electrification Agency ASER has taken a new turn. Deputy Thierno Alassane Sall, president of the Republic of Values and former Minister of Energy, disclosed a confidential note dated August 26, 2024, signed by then-Minister of Energy Birame Souleye Diop. Sall claims this document is irrefutable proof of a state lie and significantly increases the responsibility of former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko in the matter. The case began in June 2024 with an advance payment of 37 billion FCFA for a rural electrification program awarded to AEE Power. By September 2024, Santander, a financial partner, alerted Senegalese authorities to suspected embezzlement, leading to disbursement suspension. A complaint was filed in Spain in January 2025, initiating legal proceedings on February 24, 2026, while Sall also referred the case to the Senegalese Financial Judicial Pole in October 2025. The newly revealed note, dated August 2024, allegedly shows that then-Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko was informed of the presumed diversion of part of the advance, which the minister stated was used to pay bonuses within the National Sanitation Company SONAC. Sall argues this contradicts Sonko's public statements denying any ASER scandal. Sall accuses the former head of government of ignoring the alert and orchestrating a cover-up. This revelation comes amidst political turmoil, following Sonko's dismissal as Prime Minister by President Bassirou Diomaye
