On June 25, the Senegalese special cybersecurity division took news commentator Bachir Fofana into custody, according to his lawyer, Aboubacry Barro and news reports. Barro told local media that Fofana was charged with publishing false news over allegations the journalist made on TV news programs about the recipient of a vehicle purchase contract for the National Assembly. Fofana said the beneficiary of the contract was a businessman involved in a corruption case related to a former minister.
During the trial, which began on July 2, the prosecutor requested a three-month prison sentence and a fine of 200,000 CFA francs (US$359), and the judge ordered that Fofana remain in detention pending the continuation of his trial.
CPJ’s calls in early July 2025 to Senegal’s ministry of justice and to Malick Ndiaye, president of the National Assembly, went unanswered.
Fofana was convicted, given a suspended sentence of two months in prison, and released on July 30, 2025.