Affaire PRODAC : Les avocats de Mame Mbaye Niang annoncent une plainte contre Ousmane Sonko et Cheikh Diba
The legal case between Mame Mbaye Niang and Ousmane Sonko has taken a new turn. This Friday, January 30, 2026, the lawyers for the former Minister of Youth, currently out of the country, held a press conference to strongly denounce the review proceedings initiated by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and the Ministry of Justice.
Facing journalists, the pool of lawyers, composed of Me El Hadj Diouf, Me El Hadj Oumar Youm, Me Baboucar Cissé among others, denounced what they called a “political maneuver”, announcing a national and international legal response in order to thwart a procedure deemed illegal and dangerous for the rule of law.
“ A case definitively closed”
Mame Mbaye Niang's lawyers point out that the dispute related to the PRODAC case, which led to Ousmane Sonko's conviction for defamation, has been definitively settled by the Senegalese justice system.
As a reminder, Ousmane Sonko had publicly accused Mame Mbaye Niang of being implicated in a report by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) concerning the alleged embezzlement of 29 billion CFA francs. The former minister dismissed these accusations as false and unfounded, and filed a defamation lawsuit.
At the end of the proceedings, Ousmane Sonko was ordered to pay 200 million FCFA in damages, a decision subsequently upheld by the correctional court, the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court, and then following a review of the judgment which was rejected on July 1, 2025.
"The facts have been judged twice on their merits and definitively decided. There is legally no new evidence allowing for a review," insisted Mr. El Hadj Oumar Youm.
An “exceptional and unprecedented” review procedure
The defense expressed deep concern about the authorities' actions. According to the lawyers, the review of a final defamation ruling is an exceptional, even unprecedented, occurrence in Senegalese judicial history.
They denounce in particular the establishment of a 13-member commission, mostly composed of directors under the authority of the Minister of Justice who gave a favorable opinion on the revision.
"How can a commission composed of people under the direct authority of the minister claim to be independent and impartial?", they asked, referring to a serious attack on the independence of the judiciary and legal certainty, guaranteed by the Constitution.
A preliminary IGF report at the heart of the controversy
At the heart of the review process is a preliminary report from the General Inspectorate of Finance dating from 2018. Mame Mbaye Niang's defense argues that this document has no legal standing. According to the lawyers, the report was never finalized, validated, or even debated in a fair and open forum. Since its author is deceased, it cannot be considered new evidence, a prerequisite for any review process.
"A six-year-old preliminary report, never validated, cannot serve as the basis for a review procedure. Giving it legal force today amounts to forgery and the use of forged documents," they denounced.
Baboucar Cissé: “A legal diversion”
Speaking next, Mr. Baboucar Cissé delivered a chronological legal analysis of the case, believing that the current procedure is nothing more than an attempt at judicial manipulation.
"The Supreme Court rejected all the arguments raised. The appeal was rejected because it was a case that had already been decided. There are no new facts or new evidence," he insisted.
The lawyer points out that defamation is a private matter, strictly governed by time limits. Once these have expired and the decisions have been rendered, no legal review is possible.
He also points out that the 29 billion FCFA mentioned does not appear in any official report, recalling that the PRODAC project was pre-financed by external partners, outside the direct financial control of its client.
Legal action has been announced against members of the government
Another major announcement: Mame Mbaye Niang's lawyers declare their intention to file complaints for forgery and use of forged documents, targeting Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and Finance Minister Cheikh Diba.
They also mention a separate procedure for fraudulent transfer of assets, accusing Ousmane Sonko of having transferred lease rights in the name of relatives in order to avoid paying the 200 million FCFA owed to their client.
A solemn appeal to the magistrates
In conclusion, the lawyers made a firm appeal to the magistrates to resist any political pressure. "What is at stake here goes beyond a simple trial. It is the credibility of the Senegalese justice system and the rule of law that is at stake," they warned.
Now playing out in the institutional, judicial and political arena, the Sonko–Mame Mbaye Niang case promises to be full of twists and turns in a context where the independence of the judiciary remains at the heart of the Senegalese public debate.
Commentaires (5)
Mame Mbaye Niang lui-même avait dit que le rapport existait après les élections. Le MONDE entier sait que ce dossier était une farce juridique pour seul but d'empêcher Ousmane Sonko d'être candidat à l'élection présidentielle de 2024.
Aussi pourquoi le procureur de la république avait fait appel sur une diffamation d'une infraction privée ? Il faut être consistent quand même.
Le Vrai.
Je leur rappelle, à ces avocats, et aucun d'eux n'osera le nier, qu'en 3 déclarations publiques, Mame Mbaye Niang a dit que le rapport existe. Pas un pré rapport, mais un rapport. Si Mame Mbaye Niang a osé déposer une plainte contre Sonko sur instructions de Firaouna Sall c'est uniquement parce qu'il a été convaincu que Sonko n'osera pas sortir le rapport pour ne pas être condamné par une autre voie, celle de détenir ce dont il n'a pas droit. C'est parce qu'il a été convaincu que tout membre du gouvernement de Firaouna Sall qui a droit de détenir le rapport ne le sortira pas par solidarité contre Sonko. C'est parce qu'il a été convaincu que dans le déroulement du procès, Birahim Seck du Forum Civil, qui détient le rapport et en a écrit un livre, ne sera pas impliqué, son témoignage sera rejeté.
Je rappelle à ces avocats que la bataille entre Mame Mbaye Niang et Amadou Bâ, ministre des finances, portait sur la fuite du rapport, pas d'un pré rapport. Cette bataille avait atteint l'assemblée nationale. Et qui dit fuite de rapport, selon l'accusation de Mame Mbaye contre Amadou Bâ parle d'un rapport qui s'est retrouvé dans la presse, donc partout.
Et toutes ces choses que je rappelle ici sont publiques. Mais malgré tout, ces avocats osent venir dire que tout cela n'a pas existé, que ce que les sénégalais ont vu, ils ne l'ont pas vu, ce qu'ils ont entendu, ils ne l'ont pas entendu, que même leur client Mame Mbaye ment quand il dit dit que Amadou Bâ a fuité ce qui n'existe pas. Par manquer de respect à ses auditeurs, pour les prendre pour des moutons, on ne peut pas faire mieux.
Et pour finir, ils plongent dans le style "créer un problème dans le problème pour noyer le premier. Porter plainte dans la plainte. Décevant. Ce qui devait être un apport intellectuel devient une insulte à l'intelligence.
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