Senegal leader orders release of Wade
Karim Wade arrives at a courthouse in Dakar, Senegal, on July 31, 2014. Wade held several ministerial posts simultaneously during his father’s 12-year regime that ended in 2012. PHOTO | AFP
What you need to know:
- Similarly, his declaration has continually been broadcast by local radios and television stations across the country but no reaction has been forthcoming from Wade’s lawyers.
DAKAR
Senegal’s President Macky Sall has ordered the release of his predecessor’s son Karim Wade from jail, sources said.
The daily Wal fadjri newspaper on Wednesday reported that President Sall announced the order during a visit to one of the country’s highest Islamic leader.
The President told Cheikh Sidy Moukhtar Mbacké in the holy city of Touba that he would not rescind on his decision to release Karim Wade.
“When the popular request was being made to me release Karim Wade, the legal process was already in motion,” President Sall said.
He explained that "if I had released Karim Wade at the time, the people would have seen it differently unlike now that the legal battle is over and he is condemned.”
Mr Sall continued: “Now, I’m the only one who can release him from jail and I hereby order his release!”.
Following Mr Sall’s declaration, he travelled to Tivaoune, another seat of the second largest Islamic holy city and made a similar announcement to Cheikh Sidy, the leader of the Tijani fraternity.
However, Mr Sall did not say whether his decision was effective immediately.
Similarly, his declaration has continually been broadcast by local radios and television stations across the country but no reaction has been forthcoming from Wade’s lawyers.
It can, however, be recalled that Karim Wade has twice refused any presidential pardon, preferring to end the remaining two years of the six year-jail he is facing.
“My trial and condemnation was politically motivated but as a law-abiding citizen, I’ll respect the laws of this country and remain in jail until the expiry of my sentence,” Karim said recently through a confidant who visited him in jail.
However, the court did not confiscate Mr Wade’s assets as recommended by the prosecutor.
But the anti-corruption court rebutted Mr Wade’s statement, arguing that millions of dollars in cash and assets of the monies the former president’s son had stolen and hidden in foreign safe havens have been retrieved.
The court officials further explained that the search was ongoing with France and United States agreeing to collaborate.
Karim Wade, aged 50, held several ministerial posts simultaneously during his father’s 12-year regime that ended in 2012.
He is presently the standard bearer of his father’s Parti Democratique Sénégalais, Senegal’s first opposition political party founded in 1974.
