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A Senegalese judge has ordered prominent opposition leader Ousmane Sonko to stand trial on suspicion of rape, a lawyer for Sonko and his accusers said Wednesday.
Sonko, who came third in the 2019 Senegal presidential election, is enjoying a rapid political rise, partly because of his popularity with young people, and has declared his candidacy for the 2024 elections.
However, he has also struggled with legal problems. Most notably, he has been accused of rape by an employee of the beauty salon where he went for massages.
Sonko, a 48-year-old former tax inspector, denied the charges and said he was a victim of a conspiracy by President Mackey Sall.
A judge on Tuesday signed an order to send Sonko’s case to criminal court for alleged crimes, including rape and death threats, for which he was indicted in 2021, according to the plaintiff’s attorney El Haji Diouf. bottom.
“She is satisfied. She appreciates that the judge has stood firm despite a campaign of lies and manipulation by Sonko supporters who fear trial,” he said. .
One of Sonko’s lawyers, Cheik Khoureyssi Ba, confirmed the move.
Ba stressed that the order is subject to legal challenges, and said Sonko’s legal team intends to appeal.
Sonko explains that the rape accusation is part of a plan to block his 2024 candidacy.
The polarizing politician is seen by his critics as a populist agitator.
Sonko’s supporters have welcomed his efforts to speak out against corruption and social elitism, denouncing the economic and political dominance of multinational corporations and France, Senegal’s former colonial ruler. .
His indictment in March 2021 sparked violence, killing about a dozen people.
Senegal has a reputation for being generally stable in a region rife with political turmoil.
Several of the president’s other prominent opponents have had their political careers cut short by lawsuits in recent years.
Authorities deny misusing state agencies in legal proceedings against Sonko.
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