Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – Farba Ngom, also known as Mouhamadou Ngom who is former President Macky Sall’s griot, remains in pretrial detention despite a court order granting him provisional release, following a last-minute appeal filed by the financial prosecutor, a move his lawyers have strongly contested.
On January 7, 2026, the investigating judge of Senegal’s Financial Judicial Pool (PJF) issued an order granting provisional release under judicial supervision to Farba Ngom and his co-accused, Tahirou Sarr. The decision was formally notified to their legal teams on Monday, January 12.
However, the prosecutor attached to the financial prosecution service lodged an appeal against the ruling solely in relation to Farba Ngom, resulting in his continued detention. No appeal was filed against the provisional release granted to Tahirou Sarr, who has since been freed under strict judicial conditions. Farba Ngom’s lawyers say the unequal treatment raises serious legal and procedural concerns.
According to his defence team—Me Baboucar Cissé, Amadou Sall, and their colleagues—the appeal was introduced at the last possible moment, with the statutory deadline expiring on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
They argue that the selective appeal constitutes a violation of the principle of equality before the law. The lawyers have announced plans to address the matter publicly at a press conference, pending authorization from the president of the Senegalese Bar Association.
Farba Ngom has been detained as part of proceedings led by the Financial Judicial Pool, where he faces charges including alleged money laundering, misappropriation of public funds, and related offenses. Since his incarceration, all applications for provisional release submitted by his legal team have been rejected until the January 7 ruling.
Tahirou Sarr Freed After Serious Legal Disputes Raised
By contrast, Tahirou Sarr’s release followed a request filed on December 19, 2025, by his lawyers—Boubacar Wade, Boubacar Koita, SCP Guedel Ndiaye and Associates, Seydou Diagne, and Aly Fall—seeking the lifting of his committal order and provisional release.
Tahirou Sarr, who has been in custody since February 28, 2025, argued through his lawyers that the funds he received from the Public Treasury—amounting to a total of 91.6 billion CFA francs—were obtained through lawful procedures. The defense maintained that the payments were based on enforceable court decisions and legally binding debt assignment agreements.
They further claimed that the Senegalese state is, in fact, indebted to Seydou Sarr or his affiliated entities, including SOFICO Holding, to the tune of at least 105 billion CFA francs.
defence also submitted multiple purchase orders relating to the supply of vehicles to the state, which they say were delivered and duly validated by the Directorate of Administrative Equipment and Transit (DMTA) as well as the State Judicial Agent.
These submissions led the investigating judge to conclude that the challenges raised by the defense were sufficiently serious, as required under Article 140 of the Criminal Procedure Code, to justify lifting the committal order.
Prosecutorial Opposition and Bail Conditions
The financial prosecutor had opposed provisional release, citing ongoing investigations, including a pending forensic audit and the need to hear officials from the Public Accounting Directorate and the Treasury. In the alternative, the prosecution had requested that Seydou Sarr be placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring.
The State Judicial Agent, although duly notified, did not submit any observations on the application.
Ruling that the legal conditions had been met, Investigating Judge Diarra ordered the lifting of the committal order against Seydou Sarr and placed him under judicial supervision.
The measures include a ban on leaving the country without judicial authorization, surrender of all passports to the court registry, restrictions on banking transactions to household expenses only, a prohibition on public communication about the case, and a ban on contact with co-accused persons or witnesses.
The judge warned that any breach of these conditions could result in immediate arrest, followed by house arrest under electronic surveillance or the issuance of a new committal order.
Meanwhile, Farba Ngom remains behind bars as the appeal process initiated by the financial prosecutor proceeds, with his legal team signaling an intensifying legal and public response.
