Gambiaj.com – (Dakar, Senegal) – The Senegalese government has initiated a bold move to deliver on its promise of financial accountability under the leadership of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. With the establishment of a specialized Financial Public Prosecutor’s Office, significant cases involving alleged mismanagement of public funds are now under active investigation.

In a press release issued late on Sunday, January 12, El Hadji Alioune Abdoulaye Sylla, the head of the Financial Judicial Pool, disclosed that his office had recently received multiple reports from the National Financial Information Processing Unit (CENTIF). These reports flagged suspicious activities involving sophisticated money laundering schemes.

“The investigations carried out reveal sophisticated money laundering mechanisms, through shell companies which were allegedly used for suspicious transactions with a value provisionally estimated at more than 125 billion CFA Francs,” Sylla announced.

The reported amount, equivalent to over $200 million, underscores the scale and complexity of the alleged crimes. The financial prosecutor further revealed that the cases involve multiple individuals and described plans to open a judicial investigation under serious charges, including criminal conspiracy, money laundering, fraud involving public funds, corruption, influence peddling, and abuse of corporate assets.

Sylla emphasized that the investigation is being conducted in accordance with Article 66 of Law No. 2024-08, which addresses money laundering, terrorism financing, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

However, he refrained from naming the individuals implicated, citing the need to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.

This development marks a significant step in Senegal’s fight against corruption and financial crimes, signaling the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in managing public resources.