Senegal’s opposition leader Ousmane Sonko has been sentenced to two years in prison by a court for “corrupting young people.”
The “corruption of youth”, consists of poaching or encouraging the debauchery of a young person under the age of 21. It is an offence under Senegalese law.
The opposition figure has been facing trial on charges of rape, but he was cleared of those charges.
Sonko was also facing trial for making death threats to a beauty salon employee in 2021.
He was accused of sexually assaulting the woman who worked in a massage parlour and later threatening her.
Sanko had denied all the charges with his supporters saying the case was an attempt by Senegal’s President Macky Sall, to remove a potentially popular rival should he decide to seek a third term.
When Mr Sonko was arrested in 2021, clashes left at least a dozen people dead.
He has accused Senegal’s President Macky Sall of planning to stay in office for an unconstitutional third term.
Sall’s second term ends in 2024 but he has not said whether he will run for a third term.
The 48-year-old politician came third in the 2019 election and had announced he will run again.
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Source: Africafeeds.com
