Six months imprisonment! This is the sentence for MPs Masssata Samb and Mamadou Niang, of the Unity and Rally Party (Pur), found guilty of intentionally assaulting Amy Ndiaye. The Court of flagrante delicto of Dakar condemned them to pay a fine of 100 thousand Cfa each and 5 million Cfa jointly as damages. They will appeal.
Massata Samb and Mamadou Niang will now think twice before raising their hand or foot on a woman and especially in front of cameras. They were found guilty of intentionally assaulting Amy Ndiaye, their fellow MP. Absent yesterday at the Court of Dakar, the two parliamentarians of the Unity and Rally Party (Pur) received a 6-month sentence. They will therefore remain in prison and pay a fine of 100,000 Cfa each and damages of 5 million Cfa. Abdy Nar Ndiaye, one of their lawyers, announced that they will appeal the decision.
In jail since December 15, the two opposition MPs were tried two days later. The public prosecutor requested 2 years imprisonment. The civil party had requested 500 million in damages. During the trial, the two deputies had denied the facts despite the images which were widely shared on social media networks. Massata Samb had claimed to have wanted to remove Amy Ndiaye’s headscarf. Mamadou Niang explained that he sought to stand as a human shield between Amy Ndiaye and Massata Samb. Their defence pleaded that the trial could not take place given the parliamentary immunity of his clients, but this was ignored by the Court. The genesis of the facts is a statement of Amy Ndiaye, considered offensive towards Serigne Moustapha Sy, the honorary president of the Pur and incidentally, religious guide of the Moustarchidines.Following which the opposition, in particular Yewwi, had asked for a public apology.
A request which Amy Ndiaye dismissed with the back of her hand, saying she did not regret anything and if she had to do it again, she was not going to change a comma. This pushed Massata Samb and Mamadou Niang to use force to get justice. On December 1, Massata Samb interrupted his speech in the Hemicycle to slap Amy Ndiaye. And things got out of hand. Separated by MPs, the two camps inveighed against each other. Mamadou Niang managed to reach Amy Ndiaye, kicking her in the stomach. The lady collapsed and was evacuated to the hospital. Dr. Malick Diop, a member of the presidential movement, said a few hours later, that Amy Ndiaye was pregnant and that her baby’s vital prognosis was engaged.
By Malick GAYE / mgaye@lequotidien.sn
- Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH
