Senegalese president's brother resigns from oil company after opposition protests

Senegalese President Macky Sall’s brother has resigned as a director of an oil company after criticism from the opposition and calls for a demonstration on Friday in Dakar.

The president and his brother, Aliou Sall, were criticised for poor management of gas discovered in the country by Timis Corporation, led by Romanian-Australian businessman Frank Timis and in contract with the state to exploit gas fields.

The planned demonstration was held despite Aliou Sall’s resignation by about 500 members of the opposition. It was dispersed by the police with tear gas when the protesters used unapproved routes, AFP reports.

The demonstration was authorized by the authorities but the opposition was asked to change their route, which they refused, raising fears of tensions in the capital.

Several people were reported to have been arrested and others injured during the clashes with police when some protesters were reported to have thrown stones when they got to the public broadcaster.

Aliou Sall, who is also the mayor of Guédiawaye, a town on the outskirts of Dakar, confirmed to AFP that he will not handle the company’s business in Senegal anymore.

“To get the president comfortable, I resign as director of Timis Corporation Senegal,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

Aliou Sall and his company filed a lawsuit against eleven people, including opposition members led by former Prime Minister Abdoul Mbaye, and journalists for “defamation, publishing false news and conspiracy”.

“It’s not Aliou Sall they target. It’s Macky Sall and his government,” lawyer of Aliou, El Hadji Diouf, said.

Aliou Sall has no share in Mr Timis’ companies, but “he is presented as a drug dealer, a schemer and a corrupt person”, added Diouf added.

The opposition coalition have criticised for months allegations of “the obvious implication” of the brother of the head of state in the hydrocarbons sector in Senegal.

Timis Corporation is an associate of the American company Kosmos Energy.