The criminal chamber of the Thiès High Court examined on Monday a case of rape, pedophilia, and abduction of a minor involving O. Diop, a 60-year-old married man and father. He is accused of sexually assaulting A. Dieng, a minor who was 14 years old at the time of the events, which took place in May 2022. The sexual act was confirmed by a medical certificate attesting to previous hymenal tears.

According to the indictment, the victim was raped in a guesthouse room where the accused worked. When the case became public, O. Diop fled the country to Mali, before being arrested in December 2022 and brought to trial.

In court, the accused categorically denied the charges against him. He stated that he knew the girl through his mother. He explained that the victim had gone to his workplace to ask for water before leaving.

"A few minutes later, she came back with her mother to accuse me of rape. I was surprised, because I had never had any contact with this girl," he maintained.

The defendant later justified his flight by claiming he was in a state of psychological distress, stating he acted out of fear. He added that the girl's parents were behind the whole affair, which they had orchestrated to make money.

For her part, the victim A. Dieng stated that she was intercepted by O. Diop as she was returning from a family visit. He allegedly led her to a room in the inn, locked the door, then forced her to have sex before giving her 200 CFA francs.

The victim's mother stated that when her daughter returned home, she noticed semen on her clothes. When she asked her what had happened, she told her that O. Diop had raped her.

"When I went to see O. Diop at the hostel, I found him in a room. When I questioned him about the accusations, he climbed the hostel wall to flee," she testified.

The public prosecutor emphasized that O. Diop has never denied being in the girl's presence on the day of the incident. According to him, the defendant's argument is untenable, and he asked the judge to find him guilty of the charges against him and sentence him to seven years' imprisonment.

Defense attorney Ayi argued for his client's acquittal based on reasonable doubt. He maintained that the only consistent facts in the case were the girl's presence at the inn and the defendant's trip to Mali, and that there was no evidence that would lead the judge to convict O. Diop.

The verdict is expected on March 9, 2026.