The long-awaited day by Adji Sarr and her council has come. In front of the Dean of the investigating judges, the masseuse will face today Ousmane Sonko whom she accused of « rape and death threats ». The facts allegedly occurred in the « Sweet Beauty »massage parlour, where the lady worked.
The case of Ousmane Sonko and Adji Sarr will take a new step today with the confrontation between the two parties before the Dean of the investigating judges, Oumar Maham Diallo. After their separate hearings, they will be heard again in this case that has kept the country in suspense for more than a year. The investigating magistrate will open an adversarial debate in the presence of their respective lawyers. A moment for the council to ask the questions, either to Ousmane Sonko or to Adji Sarr. With all the tension surrounding this case, we will have to expect incidents between the civil party and the defence. The day of all dangers, some would say. This is a privileged moment for Adji Sarr to base her accusations against the leader of the Pastef party. But also an opportunity for Sonko to deny everything as he always has.
Many are wondering how the main opponent of President Macky Sall‘s regime, who has never uttered the name of his accuser, will behave on Tuesday? Will he remain silent? Will he let off steam on Adji Sarr and the regime of Macky Sall, whom he has always accused of having hatched « a plot » against his person? These, among other things, are the questions that many Senegalese are currently asking. At the end of the day, the debates, which will take place between four walls, will surely light up the lantern of citizens. This confrontation is the final stage of the investigation. Afterwards, the Dean of the investigating judges will decide whether to dismiss the case or send both parties to trial based on the evidence in his possession.
The defence does not see it going to trial. « Ousmane Sonko was heard for at least three hours. He answered all the questions posed by the Dean of Justices. He has, as you can imagine, disputed the facts and dismantled the accusation. He has provided all the evidence of his innocence, « said one of his lawyers, Bamba Cissé, after his hearing in the merits, on November 3. The counsel of the leader of Pastef estimated that « the investigating judge, Maham Diallo, today has no way to send the case to trial ». « So we expect, » he adds, « a total dismissal of these non-existent facts that were the source of a plan hatched by people lurking in the shadows, who simply wanted to eliminate a political opponent. » The respondent in this case, during a press conference, also returned to the minutes of his hearing. « It could have lasted 15 minutes, » said Ousmane Sonko. « Do I admit to having frequented the place? I said yes, » he said. « On what date? I don’t know. » « Have you had any relationships? » These are, among other things, the questions that the investigating judge would have asked him, according to him. « I told him, ‘I don’t allow you to ask me such questions. I do not allow you, given my status.
« I aspire in 16 months to be president of the Republic of Senegal, I do not allow you, Mr. Judge, to ask me this kind of questions, » Ousmane Sonko told reporters. He also revealed that he had refused Maham Diallo‘s request to take samples for a DNA test. « You have no evidence, you want me to give my blood to plotters? My blood, you will never have it, » Sonko said of Judge Diallo‘s motion. He had in the wake announced a complaint against the former prosecutor, SerigneBassirou Guèye, who had, according to him, falsified the investigation report of the gendarmerie on this case.
It was in February 2021 that the young masseuse Adji Sarr filed a complaint against Ousmane Sonko for « rape » and « death threats ». In March 2021, during his aborted hearing by the former Dean of Judges, the late Samba Sall, there were about fifteen deaths during clashes between police and demonstrators. Because Sonko was arrested for « disturbing public order » and taken into custody on his way to the Tribunal to comply with Judge Sall‘s summons. An arrest that torched the powder.
By Aliou DIALLO