Abdoulaye Wade vows to defend his son
A woman dances as she wears pictures of Karim Wade, former minister and son of former Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade, during a meeting of the opposition in Dakar on February 4, 2015. AFP PHOTO
What you need to know:
- I am ready for any legal battle and even to sacrifice my life, says ex-president.
DAKAR
Former Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade has vowed to do everything possible to prevent the special court from handing over a jail term to his son.
“I am ready for any legal battle and even to sacrifice my life to ensure that that my son is not subjected to any further imprisonment,” the 91 year old former leader said.
Mr Wade made the statement on Wednesday evening in Dakar during a public demonstration.
The former leader said the march was intended to make the public aware of its right to public gathering and demonstrations which the incumbent government was muzzling.
Furthermore, he said the march was also intended to protest against what he described as the “evil machinations” being metted against his remanded son, Karim Wade, over alleged ill-gotten wealth estimated at several millions of dollars.
For almost a year now, the former leader has been mobilising his Parti Democratique Sénégalais and its allies to interrupt the trial of Karim Wade who has been held in remand and facing trial for almost two years now.
ALLOW A JUDGEMENT
“We are not going to allow a judgement that will send my son to further jail or else it will be over my dead body,” the former leader yelled out during the rally on Wednesday evening in Dakar.
The rally was banned twice since last week by government which argued that it could turn violent but was finally granted with thousands of protestors attending it.
Speaking further during the rally, ex-President Wade lashed out against some unnamed senior members of his party whom he said were undertaking a secret dialogue with the ruling party of President Macky Sall with the view to mend fences between the two statesmen.
“Even if such a behind the scene arrangement was going to be successful, it should not compromise the immediate and unconditional release of my son,” the former leader said.
Mr Wade turned down an invitation from his successor last November to attend the Francophonie summit which brought together over 50 heads of state over the remand and trial of his son.
Mr Wade has refused to visit his son until he is freed while his French wife, Viviane Wade, has visited Karim in jail twice.
