Ousmane Sonko, a prominent opposition leader in Senegal, was apprehended on Friday July 28, as reported by members of his party, a senior security official, and a lawyer who spoke to media sources. However, the exact reasons behind his arrest remain unconfirmed.
Leading Senegalese opposition politician Ousmane Sonko was arrested on Friday, members of his party, a senior security official and a lawyer told media sources, although the precise reasons for the arrest were unconfirmed.
The firebrand politician and presidential candidate has faced a number of legal woes in recent years, which he claims are part of a plot to keep him out of politics.
Abdoulaye Tall, one of Sonko’s lawyers, told media sources that he had been arrested for “stealing a mobile phone” and “calling for insurrection”.
Earlier on Friday afternoon, Sonko had said on social media that security forces stationed outside his home had been filming him.
He said he had taken one of the phones and demanded the images be deleted, a request which was denied.
Ousseynou Ly, a spokesman for Sonko’s PASTEF party, and Djibril Gueye Ndiaye, his head of protocol, also told media sources he had been arrested.
A senior security official confirmed the arrest but did not specify the reasons.
In a message posted on Twitter, which is being rebranded as X, Juan Branco, one of Sonko’s lawyers, said the politician had been locked up in a courthouse basement.
The incident happened in late afternoon on Friday, a national holiday in Senegal.
On Friday evening, several police vehicles including two anti-riot trucks were parked outside the main courthouse in Dakar, journalists saw.
They later left the site but officer did not specify where they were going.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
