The defamation trial between Marième Soda Ndiaye, director of the Commission for Food Security and Resilience (CSAR), and Omar Dramé, coordinator of the Interministerial Collective of Senegalese Civil Servants, has been postponed again. Only Dramé appeared in court. The criminal court adjourned the case until June 10, 2026.

Regarding the facts

Marième Soda Ndiaye, Director General of the Commission for Food Security and Resilience (CSAR), filed a complaint against persons unknown with the Criminal Investigation Division (DIC). In her complaint, she denounced an unsigned press release, bearing the letterhead of the Interministerial Collective of Senegalese Civil Servants, which was widely circulated on February 16, 2025. The press release reported a sudden increase in her salary, an increase in the remuneration of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, and the dismissal of approximately ten employees within her department. Marième Soda Ndiaye maintains that the allegations against her are defamatory and damaging to her reputation.

The investigation

Confirming her complaint, Marième Soda Ndiaye declared, in the presence of her lawyer Me Mbaye Dieng, that she was the victim of defamatory remarks that had appeared widely circulated, on the front page of most of the local newspapers and on social networks, signed by the holder of telephone contact number 77 323…, identified as Omar Dramé, Secretary General of the Interministerial Collective of Senegalese Administration Agents.

According to the complainant, the press release reported a sudden increase in her salary and the remuneration of the Chairman of the Board. The press release added that at the same time as this increase was implemented, the director was laying off about ten employees. She indicated that the reported increase predated her appointment on May 15, 2024, and her assumption of duties on June 4 of the same year. In this regard, she recalled that the Commission for Food Security and Resilience (CSAR) was established by Decree No. 2024/11 of January 5, 2024, signed by the former President of the Republic, Macky Sall, who also signed two other decrees, No. 2024/835 and 2024/836 of March 27, 2024, respectively setting the salary of the Director General and the remuneration of the Chairman of the Board.

In addition to being false, she continues, the alleged facts aim to present her as making a decision that leads to personal enrichment, while the general policy of the authorities, who trusted her, is part of a rationalization of public resources.

She concluded that, in this case, the intent to harm was clear, since it involved a ruthless salary increase achieved through abuse of power and breach of trust. The plaintiff added that the press release demonstrated that the objective was more to target her personally and her position than to inform the public, particularly by referencing comments such as "bamboula" on social media.

Omar Dramé stated that he has held, cumulatively since 2022, the positions of Secretary General of the Union of Fisheries and Aquaculture Workers of Senegal, Administrative Secretary of the Inter-Union of the Primary Sector (fishing, livestock, agriculture) and Coordinator of the Interministerial Collective of Agents of the Senegalese Administration.

Addressing the offending press release, he admitted to being its author. He explained that he had previously submitted it to the office, which approved it, before widely disseminating it, thus assuming sole responsibility.

When questioned about his source, he indicated that it was the group of dismissed employees who contacted him by telephone to report their unfair dismissal, coinciding with a sudden increase in the salary of the director and the remuneration of the chairman of the board.

He went on to explain that, initially, he simply relied on information received from these laid-off workers by telephone to draft a press release, without any supporting evidence. Even when he met with them at the headquarters of the National Confederation of Senegalese Workers (CNTS), he did not cross-check the information to verify its accuracy before publishing it.

To corroborate his statements, he indicated that it was only later that he received from these dismissed employees ten notices of termination of contract, a complaint from the group filed with the labor inspectorate for unfair dismissal, a recruitment contract and a summons from the labor inspectorate.

Regarding the allegations against him, he clarified that the press release aimed to highlight a paradox: the Board of Directors that approved the hiring of the dismissed employees is the same one that approved the salary increase for the director and her Chairman, who retain their privileges. He added that the director's salary increase was confirmed to him by the former director who benefited from it.

In concluding his statements, he maintained that the press release was not intended to damage the director's reputation. As a union representative, he affirmed that he stood by the content of the press release, specifying that its objective was to inform the public, without any intention of causing harm, and to defend the dismissed workers so that they could regain their rights, as they were on permanent contracts.

Marième Soda Ba, a master's student and one of the dismissed employees, stated that she was hired on March 1, 2024, based on her bachelor's degree, with a permanent contract, on the recommendation of the outgoing managing director, Ibrahima Diao, her father-in-law. She explained that she initially held the position of management controller before being promoted to head of the Management Control unit later that same year.

Regarding their dismissal, she indicated that the human resources director sent them notifications dated January 2, 2025, requesting a review of their recruitment process to correct shortcomings identified in the procedure. Subsequently, they received a one-month notice period ending January 31, 2025.

Regarding the press release, she stated that Omar Dramé only relayed information provided by the group of dismissed employees in order to defend their interests and denounce an injustice of which they consider themselves victims.

However, after their dismissal, their attempts to meet with the director to reach an amicable solution proved unsuccessful. According to her, the HR director had demanded they sign a support agreement in order to receive compensation equivalent to four months' gross salary, or 1,200,000 CFA francs per dismissed employee. Having not been involved in its drafting, the group refused to sign the agreement.

Feeling they had been wronged, the group decided to denounce it. They pointed out that the Board of Directors that approved the salary increase, which has not yet taken effect, is the same one that approved their recruitment. They added that CSAR, having become autonomous with a new salary scale and organizational chart, needed staff, and that they were recruited based on their qualifications, with permanent contracts.

Finally, she stated that the information provided to Omar Dramé was solely for their own defense. To this end, the dismissed employees handed over to him the documents relating to their recruitment, their dismissal, and the complaint filed with the labor inspectorate. The group, she concluded, had no intention of harming anyone, undermining the authority of any third party, much less defaming anyone.