Gambiaj.com – (TIVAOUANE, Senegal) – A murder investigation in Tivaouane has taken a disturbing turn after the main suspect, B. Ndiaye, allegedly told police that he killed 20-year-old Ndèye Bigué Sène as part of a ritual he claimed was ordered by another marabout.
The suspect, a former fisherman who later became a traditional practitioner, was arrested by officers of the Tivaouane urban police station following the discovery of the young woman’s body in the Seico neighborhood on Saturday.
According to information reported by the police, B. Ndiaye made the detailed account during a second interrogation after investigators confronted him with evidence gathered from the scene and his telephone records.
Body discovered and a story that fell apart
Police say they were alerted at around 2:00 p.m. on August 22, 2026, to the discovery of a lifeless body. Officers who responded to the scene found the victim lying on her back in an open area of bush in the Seico district. A physical examination of the body revealed visible signs of violence.
Investigators identified the victim and questioned her mother, who told police that a man claiming to be a marabout had called her earlier that day asking for news of her daughter’s whereabouts. The call led detectives to the suspect.
During his first interrogation, the suspect denied any wrongdoing, telling police he had last spoken to the victim by phone on the night of August 21, at around 9:00 p.m. However, a search of his phone records turned up no evidence that any such call had taken place, a discrepancy that police say proved decisive in breaking his account.
Faced with this and other evidence, the suspect changed his story during a second interrogation and confessed to the killing.
The confession: instructions from a “marabout”
According to his statement to police, the suspect said he had come under the “mystical influence” of a marabout he met by chance on public transport while traveling in the interior of the country. He told investigators the marabout promised him a better future and riches if he carried out a set of instructions.
He said the marabout gave him a horn wrapped in red cloth and two bottles, one empty, the other containing a liquid substance. Acting on what he described as instructions from the marabout, he said he sought out a virgin girl, and administered the substance to her.
Once she was rendered defenseless, he attacked her with a bladed weapon, striking her twice below the left breast, twice in the back, and once in the neck.
He told police he then collected some of the victim’s blood in the second bottle before strangling her to ensure her death.
The suspect said he remained at the scene with the victim’s body for more than an hour before leaving and discarding her mobile phone near a railway line, where it was later recovered by investigators.
Student Allegedly Targeted After Contact With Suspect
Investigators believe Ndèye Bigué Sène had been in contact with B. Ndiaye before her death.
The 20-year-old had been preparing for the 2026 baccalaureate examination, and B. Ndiaye had reportedly been offering prayers for her success.
Although she did not obtain the examination, the two reportedly remained in contact.
Police believe the suspect subsequently contacted her and arranged a meeting.
She left the house where she was staying in Tivaouane at around 8 p.m. on Friday, August 21. She was later reported missing.
Her body was discovered the following afternoon in a bushy area of the Seico neighborhood. Police said the victim had suffered multiple injuries.
Telephone Evidence Leads Investigators to Suspect
The investigation reportedly advanced after police conducted neighborhood inquiries and analyzed telephone records.
B. Ndiaye initially told investigators that his last telephone conversation with the victim had taken place on August 21 at around 9 p.m. However, technical analysis of his phone reportedly failed to corroborate his account.
Confronted with the evidence, the suspect eventually confessed to killing the young woman.
He reportedly told investigators that he remained beside her body for more than an hour after the killing before leaving the area. He also allegedly admitted throwing away the victim’s mobile phone near a railway line, although he could not identify the precise location.
Suspect Denies Sexual Assault
B. Ndiaye has reportedly denied sexually assaulting the victim.
The authorities are awaiting the results of a medico-legal autopsy to determine whether Ndèye Bigué Sène was subjected to sexual violence before her death.
The suspect remains in custody and is being investigated for premeditated murder.
Police are also expected to establish whether the man identified by the suspect as “Coulibaly” exists and, if so, determine what role he may have played in the alleged crime.
The case has caused shock and outrage in Tivaouane, with the alleged ritual dimension of the killing adding a particularly disturbing element to the investigation.
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