Barthélemy Diaz, the mayor of Sicap Baobab a district of the Dakar is currently being hunted by police investigators to answer to questions for allegedly killing one Ndiaga Diop a supporter of the Senegalese ruling Party Democratique Senegalese (PDS).
The murder allegation followed a wrangling between the employees of the mayor and the ruling party militants who allegedly launched an attack the Mayor’s office on Thursday morning. Mr. Diaz is alleged to have shot Ndiaga Diop who was paid 25.000 CFA francs by senior officials of the ruling party to launch an attack on the mayors.
The decrease Ndiaga Diop was among a group of thugs by thugs who were on board five 4X4 L200. Three other militants also sustained serious wounded.
According to sources, Mr. Diaz, who is leaders of the youth wing leaders of the socialists’ party former Senegalese ruling will appear before the panel of police investigators tomorrow December 24th.
The Senegalese mayor accused President Abdoulie Wade of masterminding the attack on his office. “As they had come to fight, we could let them go without having the pleasure of having earned their money” . He says he is convinced that "they militants of the ruling PDS.
Self defense
He further said acting on self defense, he acknowledged that opened fire on the alleged thugs, I and wounded three of them. “If they died I offer my condolences to their families early,” he confirmed. He revealed that the Senegalese law has mandated him to fire in the air to alert the public before shooting anyone, adding that this is what he exactly did.
Sources confirmed that most of the witnesses who appeared before the panel of investigators said the attack were orchestrated by senior militants’ of the ruling PDS party.
An eye witness who identified herself as Ndey Fatou also argued that Mr. Diaz was acting self defense.
Meanwhile, the Mayor’s father Jean Paul Diaz argued that his son will never appear before police investigators unless they arrest the perpetrators of assault on the mayor’s office.
According to sources, evidence gathered by police investigators has implicated senior members of the ruling PDS party.
Human rights groups react
Amnesty International and the Senegalese League of Human Rights (LSDH) and the African Assembly for the Defense of Human Rights (RADDHO) strongly condemn acts of violence perpetrated by militias on opposition sympathizers.
"Such acts are intolerable in a state of law and appear to process a well-considered plan designed to install the Senegal in the chaos." groups stated
They urged the authorities to take responsibility to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to ensure the safety of citizens and the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Senegalese Constitution and international instruments of human rights. They further called for an
"An independent and impartial investigation to be opened and those responsibilities are located."