Artists, entertainers and government officials are among two dozen high-profile figures summoned by Senegal’s justice system in recent days for allegedly misusing public funds intended for the country’s Covid-19 response.The 1 trillion-CFA-franc ($1.7-billion) fund issued by the Senegalese state and donors between 2020 and 2021 was supposed to reinforce the healthcare system, support households and the private sector, and protect jobs. But a December 2022 report by the country’s Court of Auditors revealed a multitude of irregularities, such as 2.7 billion CFA francs in over-invoicing of rice purchased for disadvantaged households and some 42 million CFA francs for gel sanitiser. In a case that has gripped the country, public figures including entertainers and officials have now been called to the Criminal Investigation Division’s offices to speak to investigators. According to Dakar prosecutor Ibrahima Ndoye, 27 people were questioned between Wednesday and Thursday, of whom 26 were charged and released on bail. Nearly 260 million CFA francs were also recovered. The 27 individuals are being prosecuted for “embezzlement of public funds, fraud, favouritism and corruption,” Prosecutor General Mbacke Fall on Thursday told a press conference.   – Former ministers -Five former ministers were also involved in the misuse of Covid-19 funds, Fall said without identifying them. Their cases are being reviewed by the National Assembly to determine whether they will be prosecuted before the High Court of Justice — the only authority that can judge the president and ministers, he added. The accusations follow an audit of the previous government’s financial management under former president Macky Sall, which was promised by the new regime. Its results are keenly anticipated by the public.President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, elected in March 2024, and his Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko have accused Sall’s government of falsifying public financial figures between 2019 and the inauguration of the new government. The opposition has denounced what it calls a “witch hunt” and “restlessness” against the former government. The scandal continued to take hold of the economically challenged west African country on Friday.Senegal is confronted with a budgetary deficit of 12.3 percent of GDP and hefty public debt representing 99.67 percent of economic output — figures higher than those put forward by Sall’s government. – ‘Deterrent effect’ -A well-known Senegalese media personality, Tange Tandian, was among those summoned to court in recent days. Charged with embezzling public funds, he was released under judicial supervision but banned from leaving the country and had his passport confiscated. In a video published on social media, Tandian, who had been in charge of managing funds for artists during the pandemic, denied the charges against him.”I took all the steps to keep all the evidence of how I managed the money,” he said, asserting he was innocent.”The management of the Covid-19 fund shocked all Senegalese,” said Alioune Tine, founder of the Afrikajom Center and a civil society figure. “It is therefore a very good thing that there are legal proceedings.” Tine welcomed “strong measures that could have a dissuasive effect against white-collar crime,” but also the “pedagogical approach” of the judiciary in avoiding “systematic imprisonment” in this case.
