Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – The case surrounding Senegalese journalist Madiambal Diagne has deepened following the arrest of his wife, signaling a broader crackdown on alleged financial misconduct that also targets key figures from former President Macky Sall’s administration.
According to police sources, Diagne’s wife was detained by the Division of Criminal Investigations (DIC) after police arrived at the couple’s home looking for the journalist himself.
Diagne, who was summoned for questioning after being briefly detained at Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD) on Monday, has yet to appear before investigators.
The same sources reported that Diagne’s wife manages one of his companies, prompting speculation that her arrest may be linked to the ongoing probe.
However, neither her lawyers nor Diagne’s legal team have commented publicly on the reasons behind her detention.
Madiambal Diagne, head of the Avenir Communication group and a prominent voice in Senegalese media, is under judicial investigation following a Financial Intelligence Unit (CENTIF) report alleging suspicious transactions totaling 21 billion CFA francs.
He was reportedly preparing to travel to France when he was stopped at AIBD before being released.
Meanwhile, the DIC is preparing to interrogate three heavyweight figures of the Macky Sall era over suspected financial irregularities.
They include Amadou Bâ, former Prime Minister and minister of Finance; Abdoulaye Daouda Diallo, also a former minister of Finance; and Birima Mangara, a former minister of Budget.
According to our sources, investigators are seeking to lift the privilege of jurisdiction shielding these former ministers so they can be brought before the High Court of Justice of the National Assembly.
Their names appear in a Court of Auditors’ report on public finance management between 2019 and March 2024 under Macky Sall’s government.
The report highlights two major financial issues: the premature termination of numerous term deposits (DATs), with 141.09 billion CFA francs allegedly not deposited into the Treasury, and the handling of Registered Bond Certificates (CNO) involving 546.70 billion CFA francs under suspicious circumstances. Commissions from the latter, estimated at 58.99 billion CFA francs, were reportedly paid to third parties and legal entities.
As Diagne’s case unfolds and his wife’s arrest raises fresh questions, Senegalese authorities appear to be widening their net, signaling an unprecedented push for accountability over years of alleged mismanagement of public funds.
