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Amid a political crisis, Senegal’s opposition leader Ousmane Sonko on Saturday was charged with conspiracy against the nation, calls for insurrections and other offenses, according to the public prosecutor. This came after his arrest on Friday by the Sengalese Gendarmerie, a law enforcement force, said his lawyer
Last month, Sonko was convicted on separate charges of corrupting the youth and sentenced to two years of imprisonment, triggering widespread protests across the country that left at least 23 people dead and over 350 others injured.
He was acquitted on the charges of rape and death threats against a woman employed in a beauty salon, but was accused of corrupting young people, punishable under Sengalese law by upto five years imprisonment and a fine of over $6,000.
Sonko is the President of the PASTEF-Patriots party, and came third in Senegal’s 2019 presidential election. He and his supporters claim that the recent arrest and charges are part of government effort to derail his 2024 presidential ambitions.
The latest round of charges include criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism, compromising public security and theft.
Shortly before his arrest, Sonko claimed in a tweet that a team of gendarmerie were preparing to “break down the door” and intelligence officers outside his home were filming him.
Sonko’s ongoing legal battles may bar him from running next year. However, he can ask for a retrial for his June conviction.
(with inputs from agencies)
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