Sonko’s Accusations Spark Judicial Action in Dakar, Sénégal

The lawsuit was formalized through a correspondence dated July 14, 2026, and registered the next day at the Tribunal de grande instance hors classe of Dakar. Signed by Serigne Modou Maroun Niang and Serigne Mourtalla Bousso, the complaint followed remarks made by Pastef’s leader during the inauguration of his party’s new national headquarters.

According to the plaintiffs, stating that ‘dirty money has entered the holy city of Touba’ is an allegation intended to discredit the commune and tarnish its residents’ honor. The signatories reminded their request that the city was built by Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba on values of faith, integrity, and strict religious adherence.

To clear up what they consider a slight, the members of the collective demand immediate police investigation opening. They claim, in particular, the hearing of Ousmane Sonko to explain his thoughts and provide material evidence supporting his serious accusations. The applicants are also willing to provide video supports, text retranscriptions, and press clippings to support their procedure. If investigations confirm the unfounded nature of these statements, the collective requests the prosecutor to initiate criminal proceedings for defamation and dissemination of false news, offenses widely documented in the Sénégalese Penal Code.

The judicial action intervenes in a highly tense national political context, where relations between the central power and certain city religious sensitivities are subject to intense attention. The management of financial flows and statements made by political leaders around the capital of Mouridism remain an extremely sensitive subject in Sénégal.