The Kaolack court delivered its verdict this Monday. S. Seck, a 26-year-old repeat offender, was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of fraud, quackery, and illegal possession of a firearm. The young man had turned the social network TikTok into his hunting ground, posting videos of suitcases overflowing with cash to lure victims seeking easy riches.

According to L'Observateur, which attended the hearing, the defendant's modus operandi was exceptionally psychologically violent. The Sèye couple, lured by the promise of transforming 4.5 million CFA francs into a fortune of 575 million, experienced this firsthand. Led in the dead of night to the Keur Madiabel bush, they were confronted by the charlatan armed with a homemade rifle. After firing shots into the air to "scare his clients," the charlatan began animal sacrifices at 2:00 a.m. With utter cynicism, he even took advantage of the husband's sleep to propose to the pregnant wife that she pay for a supposedly mystical perfume with sexual intercourse, an offer she firmly rejected.

In court, the accused attempted to justify the numerous money transfers he received by claiming they were part of an auto parts business. However, this line of defense was refuted by witness testimony and physical evidence. Ch. Fall, a taxi driver based in Kédougou, presented Wave transfer receipts and TikTok videos confirming a 2.5 million CFA franc fraud.

For his part, I. Sèye bitterly recalled having sold his own land to satisfy the defendant's demands, claiming compensation for the financial loss and trauma suffered by his wife.

An exemplary sentence in "a sick society"

In his closing argument, the prosecutor harshly denounced the failings of a society where distress and credulity are shamelessly exploited through social media. Describing the defendant as a "purveyor of digital illusions," he demanded a deterrent sentence in "a sick society." The court followed these recommendations, sentencing Seck to three years in prison. He will also have to pay 2.5 million CFA francs in damages to Fall and 5 million CFA francs to Sèye, with enforcement of these sentences to be carried out under a warrant for his arrest, the newspaper of the Future Media Group added.