Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – On Youssou Ndour’s private radio station RFM, government spokesperson Moustapha Ndjekk Sarré announced that former Senegalese president Macky Sall would face prosecution for his alleged “criminal” administration of the nation. His remarks come after the Court of Auditors released a stinging report exposing serious financial violations during Sall’s tenure.

Speaking to RFM private radio, Sarré, who also serves as Minister of Professional Training, did not mince words. “Inevitably, [Macky Sall] will face justice. He is the first in charge of extremely serious crimes that were committed,” he asserted.

Sarré framed his criticism by likening the former leader, who governed Senegal from 2012 to 2024, to a criminal mastermind. “I do not give him attenuating circumstances. Everything that happened happened under his watch. We can even consider him as the gang leader who committed criminal acts. Judicial proceedings cannot be avoided,” he said.

Court of Auditors Report Reveals Major Financial Discrepancies

The accusations come in the wake of the Court of Auditors’ report, published on February 12, which highlights serious financial mismanagement during Macky Sall’s tenure. The report points to an outstanding debt amounting to 99.67% of GDP—far exceeding the official figures previously presented by Sall’s government. The budget deficit for 2023 was also recalculated by the court at 12.3%, a stark contrast to the 4.9% figure announced by the former administration.

Additionally, the report uncovered a substantial volume of bank debt contracted outside the formal budgetary system and not recorded in state accounts, raising concerns about transparency in public financial management under Sall’s leadership. The Court classified these issues as “presumed constituting management faults, de facto management, or criminal offenses.”

Government spokesman Sarré reinforced the weight of these findings, emphasizing the credibility of the Court of Auditors: “The Court of Auditors is certainly one of the most credible institutions in our Republic, which certified audits made by the Ministry of Finance. All Macky Sall has to do is to ask for forgiveness,” he added.

Macky Sall Denounces “Political Process”

Currently residing in Morocco since leaving office, Macky Sall has strongly rejected the allegations. In an interview with Jeune Afrique published on Thursday, he dismissed the report as a politically motivated attack. “I totally enroll in false against these allegations of falsifications,” Sall declared, describing the Court of Auditors’ findings as a “political process.”

As Senegal navigates escalating political tensions, the prospect of legal action against the former president could mark a significant shift in the country’s governance and accountability mechanisms. The unfolding developments will likely test the resilience of Senegal’s democratic institutions in handling high-stakes political and judicial confrontations.