By: Seringe ST Touray
Lawyers representing Ousmane Sonko have initiated a legal counteraction at the Supreme Court through two appeals. This move follows a previous appeal filed at the ECOWAS Court of Justice two weeks ago.
The first of Sonko’s appeals to the Senegalese Supreme Court is related to the refusal by the General Directorate of Elections to provide the necessary form to his representative for gathering citizen sponsorships for the upcoming presidential election. The second appeal addresses the dissolution of Sonko’s opposition party, PASTEF.
Sonko’s legal team argues that the dissolution was unwarranted, contending that the political group was free from any irregularities and had not advocated for insurrection. They assert that prior warning should have been issued before deciding to dissolve the group. Both appeals were officially submitted to the Supreme Court on Monday, October 2.
Additionally, on October 3, another appeal was filed with the Tribunal d’instance de Ziguinchor in the southern part of the country. This particular appeal challenges the removal of Sonko from the electoral roll.
Ousmane Sonko, a declared candidate for the presidential election in February 2024, has been embroiled in a contentious power struggle with authorities since 2021, stemming from his involvement in a moral corruption case. On June 1, he received a two-month prison sentence in absentia, and in July, he was arrested and imprisoned. Sonko and his supporters vehemently criticize his conviction and incarceration as politically motivated.
