Violent protests erupted in Senegal, resulting in the deaths of at least three people, as supporters of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko took to the streets ahead of his postponed rape trial in Dakar on Tuesday.
The judge presiding over the criminal chamber of the Dakar high court decided to delay Sonko’s trial to allow ample time for lawyers representing key witnesses to review the court files. However, this decision followed a tumultuous 24 hours marked by unrest linked to the case involving the prominent politician in the West African nation.
According to the interior ministry, two individuals were found dead in Dakar and Ziguinchor following the protests, while one police officer tragically lost his life in an accidental collision with an armoured police vehicle. Violent demonstrations on Monday night saw buses set ablaze, shops attacked, and clashes between protestors and law enforcement officers in both the capital city of Dakar and Sonko’s hometown of Ziguinchor.
Sonko remained in Ziguinchor, where he serves as mayor, and where the unrest initially erupted on Monday as his supporters sought to shield him from a potential arrest aimed at forcing his presence in court. Sonko faces charges based on accusations by a woman who alleged that he assaulted her during her employment at a massage salon. Sonko vehemently denies the charges and claims there is a conspiracy to remove him from the upcoming presidential race.
With prospects of a conviction, Sonko could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years and be disqualified from running for president in 2024. He recently received a six-month suspended prison sentence and was ordered to pay approximately $330,000 in a defamation case involving Minister of Tourism Mame Mbaye Niang. In response, Sonko declared his refusal to comply with any future court summonses.
Sonko, who challenged President Macky Sall in Senegal’s 2019 presidential election, was elected mayor of Ziguinchor last year. In light of the protests and escalating tensions, a heavy police presence has been observed in Dakar, Ziguinchor, and other areas of Senegal.