In a statement to the press on Tuesday evening, Ousmane Sonko announced that he will respond well to the summons of the investigating judge this Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. GMT, even if he says he “does not trust justice”. The opponent is targeted by a complaint of rape by an employee of a massage parlor in Dakar.
The president of the Pastef party, who came third in the last presidential election, once again denounced a political “conspiracy” and directly accused President Macky Sall. Ousmane Sonko had previously stated that he would not respond to a summons from the judge. He gave elements of explanation Tuesday evening.
“One has never seen a political file decided by justice in a different sense than that of the will of the prince, in this case Mr. Macky Sall. What strategy should we adopt from now on? Macky Sall has one main objective, that of striking Ousmane Sonko off the electoral rolls. In any case, to prevent him from being able to run in any future elections, but particularly in the presidential election of 2024».
“When you have a folder, you must not give the opponent the possibility to create folders in the folder. This is what is sought. And if I do not defer to the summons, the logical consequence is a warrant to bring, perhaps. The army that will be sent here may find resistance, even if I don’t resist. They may put another crime on us: rebellion. So we will go to answer, listen to the judge of the first cabinet. But that does not mean an abdication. And I call on everyone to remain mobilized, because we will not accept any injustice, any forfeiture in the management of this case».
On the side of the majority, the leaders of the presidential movement have affirmed in recent days that the affair is not political, that it is a private matter. The plaintiff has already been heard by the judge last week.
