Opponent Ousmane Sonko, accused of rape, forcibly brought back to Dakar

Senegalese security forces abruptly ended adversary Ousmane Sonko’s march across the country on Sunday, May 28, by arresting him in the south and forcibly bringing him to Dakar, officials said.

Minister of Interior, Antoine Diome, Mr. Clashes between Sonko’s supporters and the police have led to clashes since Friday, when a man was killed when the opposition returned to Dakar by road. “A death occurred in Golda, will the government be idle? (…) The answer can only be negative.said the minister on public television.

Mr. He argued that Sonko should have applied for prior authorization before organizing what he called for. “Freedom Caravan”. “So we were able to track down the leader [parti] Pastef [M. Sonko] to his house [à Dakar]Where Deposited »he said.

A source close to the authorities indicated that Ousmane Sonko was arrested by gendarmes near Koungheul and brought to the capital by them. The interior minister said weapons were found in the vehicle carrying Mr Sonko.

The long awaited verdict

The fate of his two-year-old rival for power in the 2024 presidential election led to hours of speculation. Usman Sonko, declared a presidential candidate but threatened with disqualification by court cases that he denounced as a coup d’état, has not given any public message since Sunday morning, usually willingly recording his facts and gestures on social networks. The first two days of his journey. This was said by his party members “Undetectable and Unattainable”.

He marched back to Dakar, in the south of the country, on Friday, which he intends to do in a show of force. The convoy attracted crowds of enthusiastic young supporters and was marred by clashes between youths and security forces.

In 2021, he was arrested in Tucker while marching to a judge’s summons in a rape case. His arrest helped spark days of rioting that left at least a dozen dead.

A criminal chamber must return 1^R The long-awaited verdict against him in the same rape case in June. He refused to appear, shouting that there was a conspiracy by the powers that be to remove him from the presidential race. In addition to possible punishment, he may lose his eligibility.