The Criminal Investigation Division (DIC) opens this Friday, January 24 at noon the chapter of hearings concerning the 94 billion FCFA affair, an explosive case which continues to shake the political and judicial spheres of Senegal. Seized by the financial prosecutor’s office, this case comes back into the spotlight with the Mbengue family at the forefront, at the origin of the relaunch of the case by filing a complaint. According to information reported by L’Observateur, five representatives of this family will successively be interviewed by investigators.
This major financial scandal concerns a 275-hectare plot of land located in Rufisque, registered TF 1451/R, and is the subject of decades-old litigation. The dispute dates back to 1978, between the heirs of Ousmane Mbengue, recognized as legitimate owners by a court decision, and the late influential businessman and marabout, Djily Mbaye. This land conflict has crossed political regimes, but it is under the spotlight of the current political scene that it is resurfacing. The issue was brought back to light by Ousmane Sonko, then a deputy and now an emblematic figure of the Senegalese opposition. The leader of Pastef had denounced a vast operation of land spoliation, in which, according to him, many authorities of the old regime would be involved. He also affirmed that the Mbengue family was the main victim of this plot orchestrated to illicitly appropriate real estate of an astronomical value. As the hearings begin, the stakes are multiple: uncovering the truth, identifying responsibilities, and potentially explosive revelations that could shake political figures and institutions. This trial promises to be a test of truth for the Senegalese judicial system, which will have to demonstrate its independence in the face of a case with complex political and financial ramifications.
