Former Senegalese President Macky Sall has been summoned to court due to audit findings that reveal significant discrepancies in national treasury records during his tenure. An independent review indicated severe mismanagement of public funds, prompting legal actions against Sall and several former officials. Meanwhile, the current administration seeks to distance itself from the previous government amid widespread allegations of corruption.
Senegal has officially summoned former President Macky Sall to court following serious revelations of irregularities in the nation’s treasury during his administration. An audit conducted by the national audit office has uncovered alarming disparities in public fund management, prompting scrutiny of Sall’s financial oversight while in office from 2012 to 2024. The report invalidated previous official figures, indicating a significant upward revision of both the national debt and public deficit.
The findings of the audit, published on February 12, highlighted substantial accounting discrepancies, notably a projected budget deficit for 2023 of 12.3 percent—more than double the initially reported figure of 4.9 percent under Sall’s leadership. In response to the allegations, Mr. Sall, currently residing in Morocco after completing his term last year, has refuted the audit results, claiming they are politically driven.
Government spokesman Moustapha Sarre remarked that Sall could potentially be implicated as the leader of a group responsible for criminal activities, asserting that legal proceedings against him are forthcoming. In the wake of these developments, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who succeeded Sall in March 2024, has committed to dissociating his administration from the previous government’s actions.
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who has long opposed Sall, promised last September to investigate what he termed systemic corruption within Sall’s government. In recent months, multiple former officials from Sall’s administration have faced charges and imprisonment, including an affiliated lawmaker now confronted with allegations of fraud and money laundering.
In summary, the legal indictment of former President Macky Sall marks a significant chapter in Senegal’s pursuit of accountability regarding public financial management. Following an extensive audit revealing drastic discrepancies in the treasury, Sall faces potential charges that link him to allegations of financial mismanagement. The current government is actively distancing itself from Sall’s legacy as investigations into systemic corruption continue.
Original Source: newscentral.africa