Senegalese march in support of Dakar mayor's release

Thousands of Senegalese took to the streets of Dakar on Friday to march in support of the release of Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall who was arrested in early March.

Sall who has been mayor of Dakar since 2009 has been in custody following allegations that he embezzled about $2.9 million.

He was charged alongside three other officials for fraud, criminal conspiracy and money laundering, charges he denies.

Sall, a member of the Socialist party has also been widely considered a possible presidential contender for elections in 2019.

They also demanded the release of political prisoners in the country and urged the return of Karim Wade who has been exiled in Qatar and was sentenced to six years in prison for illegally enriching himself but granted a presidential pardon last year.

“The return of Karim Wade in Senegal has today become a social demand. Wade will be in Senegal, Wade will participate in the presidential elections and I hope that he will win the elections,” said a protester.

Leading the protest march was a coalition of oppostion parties who also demanded for transparency in the management of oil and gas deposits in the west African nation.

Sall’s case is the second high-profile corruption case in Senegal since President Macky Sall was elected into office in 2012 amid widespread popular discontent about corruption.

It has has been likened to that of Karim Wade son of former President Abdoulaye Wade.