«Doute sérieux» : seize pages pour sauver Sonko
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko's lawyers have submitted a 16-page brief to the Supreme Court seeking a review of the defamation case brought against their client by former minister Mame Mbaye Niang. The primary objective of this action is the outright annulment of the ruling issued by the Court of Appeal on May 8, 2023. That ruling sentenced the Pastef leader, then in opposition, to a six-month suspended prison sentence and ordered him to pay 200 million CFA francs in damages. This decision, which became final, disqualified Ousmane Sonko from running in the 2024 presidential election.
The defense's central argument rests on Article 92.4 of the Organic Law on the Supreme Court, which allows for review when new evidence emerges. According to the Prime Minister's advisors, as reported by Les Échos, the report from the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) constitutes precisely this "unknown element during the proceedings." They assert that this document is authentic, as it originates from a legitimate oversight authority and bears the signatures of competent inspectors.
In essence, this report would exonerate Ousmane Sonko by confirming the existence of irregularities attributable to the supervisory authority at the time, namely Mame Mbaye Niang. His absence during the initial trial would thus have skewed the judgment, creating today a "serious doubt" about the guilt of the convicted man.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister's advisors firmly reject the idea that the amnesty law would render this appeal moot. They reiterate that such a law must not infringe upon the rights of third parties. Since Mame Mbaye Niang is still seeking damages for civil losses, Ousmane Sonko retains the right to contest the substance of his conviction in order to protect his assets and his honor.
Faced with these challenges, the defense first asks the highest court to declare the appeal filed by the Attorney General admissible, then to overturn the Court of Appeal's ruling as well as the lower court's judgment. Finally, the lawyers request that the case be sent back to a new appeals court for a full trial, this time incorporating the IGF report as a central piece of evidence, the newspaper adds.
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