Senegal’s National Assembly has blocked a proposal seeking to charge former president Macky Sall with high treason, delivering a significant blow to efforts aimed at holding him accountable for alleged financial misconduct.
The motion, introduced by Guy Marius Sagna, a member of the ruling PASTEF party, accused Sall of mismanaging state finances by allegedly concealing a US$7 billion debt and contracting loans outside established budget procedures.
However, lawmakers ruled the motion inadmissible due to a “procedural flaw” — or vice de forme — effectively preventing it from advancing to the Haute Cour de Justice, the constitutional body empowered to try former heads of state.
The decision gives Sall, who governed Senegal from 2012 to 2024, a temporary reprieve from potential prosecution amid increasing scrutiny over his administration’s financial record.
Political analysts note that the ruling underscores the critical role of legal procedures in determining accountability in Senegalese politics, suggesting that future challenges could hinge as much on form as on substance.
For now, it remains unclear whether a revised motion may be submitted and how this development might affect Sall’s political standing at home and abroad.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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