Dakar Tribunal: Bougazelli Procès Renvoyé au 10 Décembre 2026

• The trial of former deputy Seydina Fall, known as Bougazelli, and five co-defendants has been postponed to December 10, 2026.
• This latest adjournment by the Dakar Tribunal occurred after four of the six defendants were absent from the hearing on Thursday, October 8.
• Bougazelli was initially arrested in November 2019 on suspicion of trafficking 32 billion FCFA in counterfeit banknotes.
• He and his co-accused face charges including criminal association, counterfeiting legal tender, and money laundering, with Bougazelli also accused of attempted corruption.
• The case has seen multiple postponements since 2019, with substantive debates yet to begin.

The repeated and lengthy postponements in the Bougazelli case, culminating in the recent adjournment to December 10, 2026, underscore the often-protracted nature of complex criminal proceedings within the Senegalese judicial system.

The high-profile trial involving former deputy Seydina Fall, widely known as Bougazelli, and his five co-accused has once again been adjourned, with the Second Criminal Chamber of the Dakar Tribunal setting the new hearing for December 10, 2026. This decision follows a recent session on Thursday, October 8, where a significant portion of the defendants failed to appear before the court. Only Bougazelli himself and Khalifa Ababacar Dia were present, while Oumar Samb, Malé Diagne, Ousmane Dione (also known as Nguess), and Moussa Ouédraogo were notably absent.

The request for this latest postponement originated from Me Assane Dioma Ndiaye, who was representing Bougazelli in the absence of his primary counsel, Me Abdou Dialy Kane. Ndiaye cited Kane's unavailability as the reason for seeking the delay. Initially, the presiding judge of the chamber rejected the motion, indicating an intent to proceed with the case. However, after further consideration, the court ultimately granted the request, leading to the substantial delay until late 2026. This ongoing legal saga, which began with Bougazelli's arrest in 2019, has been characterized by numerous adjournments, preventing the substantive arguments from ever commencing.

The legal proceedings against Seydina Fall and his associates stem from events that unfolded in November 2019. At that time, the Research Section of the gendarmerie in Colobane apprehended Bougazelli, then a sitting deputy for the Alliance for the Republic (APR) party, which was the ruling party at the time, on suspicion of trafficking counterfeit currency. His arrest reportedly occurred during an alleged flagrant délit, following an extensive period of surveillance by law enforcement officials.

Subsequent investigations into the matter unearthed a substantial cache of illicit funds, with authorities announcing the discovery of counterfeit banknotes valued at an estimated 32 billion FCFA. As a result, Bougazelli and his co-defendants face a range of serious charges, including criminal association, the counterfeiting of legal tender banknotes, and money laundering. Furthermore, the former parliamentarian is also accused of attempted corruption, specifically for allegedly offering 10 million FCFA to the arresting gendarmes in an attempt to secure his immediate release.

The repeated and lengthy postponements in the Bougazelli case, culminating in the recent adjournment to December 10, 2026, underscore the often-protracted nature of complex criminal proceedings within the Senegalese judicial system. Despite the high-profile nature of the charges—encompassing significant financial crimes like counterfeiting and money laundering, alongside corruption allegations against a former public official—the trial has yet to move beyond procedural hurdles since its inception in 2019.

This extended timeline means that the legal implications of the serious accusations against Seydina Fall and his co-defendants remain unresolved. The inability to commence substantive debates across multiple scheduled hearings highlights potential challenges in judicial efficiency for cases involving numerous parties and intricate financial investigations. The continued delays in this prominent case, involving a former deputy and a substantial sum of counterfeit currency, draw attention to the broader issue of judicial timelines and the quest for timely justice in Senegal.

Lawyers and compliance officers should note the significant and repeated postponements in this high-profile financial crime case, which highlights the protracted nature of complex criminal proceedings in Senegal. This ongoing delay means the legal implications of the charges (counterfeit currency, money laundering, corruption) remain unresolved, requiring continued monitoring for any eventual precedents set regarding enforcement and judicial timelines.

Source: Reporting based on Senegalese press accounts.