Known in Bamako as a bazin seller, Ibrahim Karagnara is no stranger to controversy. Accused of embezzlement in military contracts in Mali, he was arrested for corruption and illicit enrichment. After spending a few months in detention, he left Mali for Dakar in 2022, where he set up as an entrepreneur in the construction sector. Its rapid integration into the Senegalese market took place in an opacity which raises numerous questions, particularly for university projects whose budget far exceeds the standards of the region.
A financial scandal of alarming proportions
The contracts for the universities of Matam and Tambacounda, estimated at 107 and 83 billion FCFA respectively, raise serious concerns. Awarded without a call for tenders and under a company registered in Ivory Coast, ROYAL BTP, these contracts arouse the anger of local experts and entrepreneurs, who denounce obvious overbilling. Leral TV noted, during field visits, more than suspicious management: rare buildings emerge from the construction sites, but no signage of the companies involved, which adds to the suspicion of irregularities.
A look back at a past of embezzlement: “Karagnaragate”
Karagnara’s name is linked to an overbilling scandal in Mali. In 2014, he had already made headlines as Director General of International Commerce for Mali (CIM). The latter had sold military trucks to the Malian government at astronomical prices, sometimes reaching 210 million FCFA for a vehicle purchased for only 29 million. An investigation revealed a breach of trust and massive misappropriation of a contract worth 9.9 billion FCFA.
An audit, launched after the fall of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, confirmed overbilling of more than 3 billion on this contract. The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) discovered that Karagnara had orchestrated fraudulent sales of military equipment with indecent margins. Despite his legal setbacks and the temporary incarceration that followed, Karagnara was able to leave Mali to try to rebuild his reputation in Senegal.
Stopping work and opening an audit
Faced with this situation, the new Senegalese authorities ordered the immediate cessation of work and initiated an audit to shed light on the use of funds. On construction sites, it was observed that housing intended for teachers, built on less than 150 m² in R+1, was billed at costs that defied logic. The architectural office, initially in charge of supervising the work, also expressed its refusal to validate the plans due to the overcharged amounts.
An export of questionable practices on Senegalese soil
Karagnara’s activities in Senegal reflect his Malian methods. The company CIM, renamed Compagnie Immobilière Malienne, seems to have found a new playground for its practices in Senegal. Relying on African companies such as the African Society of Engineering and Realization, of Burkinabe origin, Karagnara continues its expansion in the real estate and construction sector.
Leral TV will continue to broadcast detailed reports, revealing the unfolding of this scandal, to inform the public about the questionable management of public funds in these university projects. The new Senegalese authorities are expected to take concrete actions aimed at restoring transparency and cleaning up practices in the public procurement sector.
Source: https://confidentielafrique.com/ et Leral TV
