Senegal‘s national assembly has voted to order a special court to investigate five former ministers accused of corruption, marking a significant development in the country’s fight against graft. The five former ministers, who served under ex-president Macky Sall, are alleged to have diverted funds meant for the Covid-19 pandemic response in 2020-21.
The Accused Ministers
The ministers facing investigation are:
- Amadou Mansour Faye: Former Minister for Community Development, accused of diverting approximately $4.5 million
- Aissatou Sophie Gladima: Former Minister for Mines
- Moustapha Diop: Former Minister for Industrial Development
- Salimata Diop: Former Minister for Women
- Ismaila Madior Fall: Former Minister of Justice
These former ministers will appear before a special commission of the high court of justice, which will determine whether the court will hear their case. Proceedings of this type are rare in Senegal, with the court having previously sat only in 2005 and 1963.
Opposition’s Reaction
The opposition has denounced the case as a “witchhunt,” raising questions about the motivations behind the investigation. However, the national assembly’s decision to lift immunity from prosecution against two opposition MPs implicated in the allegations suggests a commitment to holding public officials accountable.
Implications
This development highlights the efforts of current President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s administration to tackle corruption and ensure accountability among public officials. The outcome of this case may have significant implications for Senegal’s fight against graft and its impact on the country’s development.
Similar Cases
Corruption cases involving former ministers are not unique to Senegal. For instance, a former transport minister in Singapore, S. Iswaran, was convicted in a rare graft trial, while in the Philippines, former minister Herbert Bautista faced prison time and a lifetime ban over a graft case related to a $632,000 IT deal. In Nigeria, ex-minister Diezani Alison-Madueke was detained in London over corruption allegations, with other former ministers also facing possible arrest.