Opposition politician Ousmane Sonko was arrested and accused of disturbing public order after multiple infractions that amounted to a criminal offense, Senegal’s public prosecutor said in a statement Friday.
(Bloomberg) — Opposition politician Ousmane Sonko was arrested and accused of disturbing public order after multiple infractions that amounted to a criminal offense, Senegal’s public prosecutor said in a statement Friday.
Sonko was accused of threatening the integrity of property and persons through acts, statements and other activities, according to the statement.
A spokesman for Sonko’s PASTEF party confirmed the leader had been arrested. Sporadic protests broke out in central Dakar late Friday.
Last month, clashes after Sonko was sentenced to two years of imprisonment left at least 23 people dead, according to Amnesty International. Sonko’s been awaiting an arrest warrant following the June 1 conviction of “morally corrupting a youth.”
Sonko, a 48-year-old former tax inspector, posed the biggest threat to Senegalese President Macky Sall’s ruling coalition in the 2024 presidential elections. Sall said July 3 he wouldn’t seek a third term next year.
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