The defamation case between Ousmane Sonko and Mame Mbaye Niang, which arose from the current Prime Minister's statements claiming to have a compromising report from the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) on the management of the Prodac program, will see a new development.

In its Saturday, June 21, edition, L'Observateur announced that the Supreme Court is scheduled to consider the appeal filed by Ousmane Sonko's lawyers on July 1. This appeal follows the decision of the Criminal Division of the High Court, which upheld their client's six-month suspended prison sentence and the payment of 200 million CFA francs in damages to Mame Mbaye Niang.

At the time, Ousmane Sonko, leader of the Pastef party, had his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election invalidated following this conviction. He then nominated Bassirou Diomaye Faye - now President of the Republic - as the candidate of the "Diomaye President" coalition, the same source recalls.

Arrest and issues of pleadings

The daily newspaper of the Future Media Group believes that on July 1, the Supreme Court will reopen the case to hear arguments regarding the suspension of the ruling. Sonko's lawyers had, at the time, raised an objection of unconstitutionality, requesting that the Court relinquish jurisdiction in favor of the Constitutional Council. They had also requested the annulment of the Court of Appeal's May 8 ruling, citing several procedural flaws, including the absence of a summons to appear.

Although the Attorney General had ruled in favor of cassation, the judge upheld Sonko's conviction and rejected the constitutionality objection. According to the latest information, Mame Mbaye Niang will not be present at this hearing, having been abroad since Pastef came to power, reports L'Observateur.