Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08DAKAR1100
2008-09-22 13:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Dakar
Cable title:
FARBA SENGHOR-GUILTY SAYS THE PROSECUTOR
how-toVZCZCXRO8298 OO RUEHDT RUEHLMC RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHPB DE RUEHDK #1100 2661353 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 221353Z SEP 08 FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1173 INFO RUCNMCM/MCC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAKAR 001100
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL/AE AND INR/AA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI ECON PINR KDEM SG
SUBJECT: FARBA SENGHOR-GUILTY SAYS THE PROSECUTOR
REF: DAKAR 1067
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MARCIA BERNICAT FOR REASONS 1.4
(B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAKAR 001100
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL/AE AND INR/AA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI ECON PINR KDEM SG
SUBJECT: FARBA SENGHOR-GUILTY SAYS THE PROSECUTOR
REF: DAKAR 1067
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MARCIA BERNICAT FOR REASONS 1.4
(B) AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: In an impromptu fifteen minute meeting with
Ousmane Diagne, the prosecutor who investigated former
Transport and Cultural Affairs Minister Farba Senghor and his
acolytes' alleged involvement in the trashing of two Dakar
newsrooms, he told us that as far as the evidence is
concerned Farba Senghor is guilty of masterminding the
attack. End Summary.
2. (C) Characterizing as "highly unusual" and "out of the
norm" President Abdoulaye Wade's decree stating that only the
High Court of Justice was the competent body to hear the case
against Senghor, Ousmane Diagne said that he chose to put the
Head of State in a position where he had to fire Senghor by
saying in a news conference that he (Diagne) could only
investigate Senghor if the President allowed him to do so.
He then went on to say that as far as he was concerned the
case was investigated thoroughly and that there was no doubt
in his mind that Senghor was guilty of orchestrating the
attack. He was disdainful of Senghor, who during his
questioning repeatedly denied that he knew the people
involved in the attack even after he was presented with phone
records indicating that he placed two calls the night prior
to the assault, one for 1 minute and one for 4 minutes, to
the ringleader of the attackers.
Too Much Responsibility
--------------
3. (C) Diagne judges that Senghor is incompetent and a danger
to the stability of the country: "He has been given boots
that are too large for him to wear. He is a problem for the
stability of this country; this why I went ahead with the
case despite pressure from the Ministry of Justice". As a
prosecutor, Diagne has amongst his responsibilities the task
of ensuring law and order in the country: "For a long time
now Senghor has been involved in activities that are both
detrimental to the image of Senegal, but that have also
caused a lot of problems for the President. He is man
without finesse." Diagne added that, aside from Senghor, all
of the accused in the case have already been sentenced and
that he has completed his report on Senghor and transmitted
it to the Prosecutor-General of the Court of Appeals. The
Prosecutor-General will then give it to the Minister of
Justice, who will initiate Senghor's prosecution by the High
Court of Justice. Diagne would not predict the outcome of
that case, but pointed out wryly that this was a "political
court".
BERNICAT
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL/AE AND INR/AA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI ECON PINR KDEM SG
SUBJECT: FARBA SENGHOR-GUILTY SAYS THE PROSECUTOR
REF: DAKAR 1067
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MARCIA BERNICAT FOR REASONS 1.4
(B) AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: In an impromptu fifteen minute meeting with
Ousmane Diagne, the prosecutor who investigated former
Transport and Cultural Affairs Minister Farba Senghor and his
acolytes' alleged involvement in the trashing of two Dakar
newsrooms, he told us that as far as the evidence is
concerned Farba Senghor is guilty of masterminding the
attack. End Summary.
2. (C) Characterizing as "highly unusual" and "out of the
norm" President Abdoulaye Wade's decree stating that only the
High Court of Justice was the competent body to hear the case
against Senghor, Ousmane Diagne said that he chose to put the
Head of State in a position where he had to fire Senghor by
saying in a news conference that he (Diagne) could only
investigate Senghor if the President allowed him to do so.
He then went on to say that as far as he was concerned the
case was investigated thoroughly and that there was no doubt
in his mind that Senghor was guilty of orchestrating the
attack. He was disdainful of Senghor, who during his
questioning repeatedly denied that he knew the people
involved in the attack even after he was presented with phone
records indicating that he placed two calls the night prior
to the assault, one for 1 minute and one for 4 minutes, to
the ringleader of the attackers.
Too Much Responsibility
--------------
3. (C) Diagne judges that Senghor is incompetent and a danger
to the stability of the country: "He has been given boots
that are too large for him to wear. He is a problem for the
stability of this country; this why I went ahead with the
case despite pressure from the Ministry of Justice". As a
prosecutor, Diagne has amongst his responsibilities the task
of ensuring law and order in the country: "For a long time
now Senghor has been involved in activities that are both
detrimental to the image of Senegal, but that have also
caused a lot of problems for the President. He is man
without finesse." Diagne added that, aside from Senghor, all
of the accused in the case have already been sentenced and
that he has completed his report on Senghor and transmitted
it to the Prosecutor-General of the Court of Appeals. The
Prosecutor-General will then give it to the Minister of
Justice, who will initiate Senghor's prosecution by the High
Court of Justice. Diagne would not predict the outcome of
that case, but pointed out wryly that this was a "political
court".
BERNICAT