A case involving rivalries between marabouts and settling of scores on TikTok has landed in the Mbour High Court. This conflict, played out on social media, pits Mr. Lo, who is married to two wives, against Mr. Faye and Mr. Senghor. Mr. Lo, who presents himself as an entrepreneurial marabout, is being prosecuted for several offenses: possession of a weapon, threats of violence, assault, violence against a police officer, resisting arrest, and breach of trust.

It all started with a heated argument between marabouts on TikTok. Mr. Lo admits to having made virulent remarks against several of them in widely circulated videos. He insults his opponents and makes sure to film their clients testifying to the other marabouts' incompetence. The tensions quickly escalated beyond the online world. His rivals filed a police report. Summoned, Lo, the entrepreneur, refused to comply. Police officers came to ask him to appear; he resisted and attacked them. In a video, he boasts about having chased people. Worse, he says he'll be waiting for them next time, threatening them.

The situation took a more serious turn with the arrival of reinforcements from law enforcement. They gave him a rough time. Mr. Lo claims to have been the victim of violence. "Police officers came and attacked me, they beat me and broke my arm," he said. He was brutally beaten, according to his lawyer, Omar Sène, who said he found his client in a pitiful state. "Blood was coming out of his eyes," the lawyer recounted.

Attorney Omar Sène pleaded mistaken identity, arguing that his client was unaware they were police officers. "If he had known they were police officers, he would have followed them without hesitation," he maintained. He claimed he hadn't recognized the officers, whom he believed to be bodyguards for his rivals, because they were not in uniform. The court firmly rebuked him on this point, emphasizing that no citizen can defy the authority of the defense and security forces. In court, he finally offered a mea culpa: "There is no such thing as a person who never makes a mistake. I admit I was wrong and I apologize. I didn't know they were police officers."

A money matter involving F. Ndour

The case also includes a financial aspect, pitting Mr. Lo against F. Ndour, who accuses him of breach of trust. According to Ms. Ndour, an agreement had been reached for work to be done on her house. They had agreed on a sum of 1,500,000 FCFA, of which she gave him 350,000 FCFA. She claims that Gambian masons were brought in by Lo. However, she says she housed and fed them at her own expense. Although she gave Lo 350,000 FCFA, he did nothing to carry out the work. Ms. Ndour is demanding reimbursement. Taking advantage of Lo's arrest, she filed a complaint.

F. Ndour explains that Lo had repaid 150,000 FCFA, but still owes him 200,000 FCFA. For his part, the defendant claims he only owes the woman 50,000 FCFA. Even though he downplays the debt, he says he is ready to repay the remaining 200,000 FCFA.

The court finally sentenced the marabout Lo to 2 years in prison, including 2 months of mandatory imprisonment, for rebellion and ordered him to pay 200,000 FCFA to F. Ndour.