Thierno Alassane Sall implicates Ousmane Sonko in ASER case
via SeneNews2 min read
Deputy Thierno Alassane Sall has accused former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko in connection with the Senegalese Rural Electrification Agency ASER case, alleging a diversion of 37 billion FCFA. Sall claims these funds, intended for a large-scale rural electrification program, did not achieve their initial objective. He suggests the resources were moved to various countries through opaque channels, deviating from the project's original scope. Sall disputes official explanations from the former government, including "customs delays" mentioned in a March 11, 2026 Council of Ministers statement, arguing that no equipment arrived in Senegal. He believes this communication aimed to create an illusion of progress for a project that had not genuinely started. Sall also links the financial matter to political maneuvering, accusing the former head of government of attempting to re-enter the institutional sphere. He anticipates significant judicial consequences from ongoing or future investigations, asserting that the funds did not benefit the target populations but rather private foreign entities, which he describes as a "serious deviation."
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Canada secured its first World Cup victory by defeating Qatar 6-0 in Vancouver, moving closer to qualification for the 2026 World Cup round of 16. Jonathan David led the Canadian team with a hat-trick, scoring in the 29th, 45th+3, and 90th minutes. Additional goals were scored by Cyle Larin in the 16th minute, an own goal by Qatar's Mohamed Manai in the 75th minute, and Nathan Saliba in the 64th minute. Saliba, who replaced an injured Ismael Kone, held up Kone's jersey after his goal.
Must ReadAbdoul Aziz Diop, former special advisor to President Macky Sall, was taken into police custody by the Special Cybersecurity Division DSC following his questioning. The political analyst is being prosecuted for alleged statements contrary to public morals. Diop appeared before investigators in the morning and reportedly admitted to making the statements in question, but expressed neither regret nor apologies. Following the hearing, the public prosecutor at the High Court of Dakar reportedly ordered his detention. The petroleum and environmental engineer is expected to be brought before the prosecutor on Friday for further proceedings. Abdoul Aziz Diop is at the center of a controversy after making statements targeting Ousmane Sonko, president of the Pastef party and also president of the National Assembly, as well as some of his activists. These remarks were considered particularly serious by several observers and led to the initiation of this legal procedure. The investigation is ongoing, and Diop benefits from the presumption of innocence until a final court decision.
Must ReadIn recent months, several West African countries have enacted new laws criminalizing homosexuality, a trend reflecting a broader crackdown on the LGBT+ community across the continent. Only about 20 of Africa's 54 countries do not criminalize homosexuality. Explanations for this rise in anti-homosexuality laws include electoral strategies, rejection of perceived Western values, and a conservative surge. Uganda led the way in 2023 with an anti-LGBT+ law, considered one of the world's most repressive, where "aggravated homosexuality" can carry the death penalty, though it has not been applied for years. In September 2025, Burkina Faso passed a law with penalties up to five years in prison for "homosexual practices." Neighboring Niger followed in February, discreetly enacting a new penal code that criminalizes homosexuality, with sentences up to 20 years for same-sex marriage. In March, Senegal doubled penalties for homosexual relations from five to ten years in prison. Since the beginning of the year, over a hundred people have been arrested in Senegal, and one man was sentenced to six years for "unnatural acts" under the new law. Last month, Ghana's Parliament approved sentences of up to three years for homosexual acts and three to five years for promoting or supporting LGBT+ activities. Even before these laws, the LGBT+ community generally faced taboos and discrimination in these countries, as well as in those where homosexuality is legal, with rare exceptions. Human rights de