The Dakar Court of Appeal confirmed, this Wednesday, September 21, the first instance conviction of Barthélémy Dias pronounced in 2017, in the case of a murder dating from 2011; or a two-year sentence, including six months for “death blows”, which the person concerned has already served.
The opposition deputy and mayor of Dakar was conspicuous by his absence from the courthouse when the verdict was read. If he remains free, having already served his sentence, and can therefore continue to exercise his function as mayor, « he risks being stripped of his mandate as deputy » because of the maintenance of his conviction, after his lawyer, Me Cheikh Koureyssi Ba.
As a reminder, following the attack in December 2011 on the town hall of Mermoz, which Barthélémy Dias was leading at the time of the events, the latter had responded by using a firearm. Only one of the assailants, Ndiaga Diouf, hit by a bullet, lost his life.
In 2017, the Dakar Criminal Court found Dias guilty of fatal blows, intentional bodily harm and illegal possession of a firearm. But he had appealed, citing self-defense. After the verdict of the Court of Appeal, his defense did not exclude a possible appeal in cassation.
The Senegalese opposition has always accused the government of being behind this sham trial, a way for the authorities to dismiss potential candidates for the highest office.
By OMA Newsletter N° 866 of 09/21/2022
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
