The National Assembly of Senegal convened, this Tuesday afternoon, two meetings of its office considered very “capital” for the accountability operation initiated by the new authorities.
The agendas, mentioned in the two press releases signed Monday by the President of the National Assembly, Malick Ndiaye, attracted the attention of more than one: “ Informations » et « work schedule for consideration of a pending case “. These summons follow the announcement of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Financial Judicial Pool (PJF) on the opening of a judicial investigation concerning a vast investigation into suspicious money laundering activities, the amount of which is currently estimated at ” more than 125 billion CFA francs ».
Several newspapers read by APA on Tuesday mention a “ imminent lifting of Farba Ngom’s parliamentary immunity », deputy close to former president Macky Sall. An unofficial document explicitly mentioning the name of this influential member of the ex-regime was leaked on social networks on Sunday. The financial prosecutor’s office then published a more neutral press release, which sparked protests from civil society leaders like Birahim Seck, calling for ” more rigor » from the PJF.
« In the sights of the prosecution of the Financial Judicial Pool, following a series of damning reports transmitted by the National Financial Information Processing Unit (CENTIF), Mouhamadou Ngom, known as Farba, faces serious accusations », reported the daily L’Observateur. The newspaper emphasizes that the two meetings scheduled for today “ of capital importance » aim without « no doubt » the lifting of Farba Ngom’s parliamentary immunity.
For its part, Sud Quotidien believes that “ the Assembly takes action » in the accountability procedure initiated by the PJF. Conversely, the new opponents fear a tendentious operation of “ witch hunt “. The AS thus questions “ suspicious speed » of parliament dominated by deputies from Pastef, the ruling party, which holds 130 of the 165 seats after the early legislative elections of November 17.
At the same time, the fifteenth legislature installed, at the end of December, the members of the High Court of Justice, responsible for judging ministers and presidents of previous regimes accused of offenses falling under this jurisdiction.
The Financial Judicial Pool, which succeeded the Court for the Repression of Illicit Enrichment (CREI) – which had notably condemned figures from the regime of Abdoulaye Wade (2000-2012), including his son Karim Wade – was created by a law adopted on August 2, 2023.
With national jurisdiction, this body is attached to the Dakar high court and the Dakar Court of Appeal and has, as its main mission, the fight against economic and financial offenses.
ODL/SF/ac/APA
