The Dakar Court of First Instance has deferred the high-stakes legal battle between Mame Mbaye Niang and Ousmane Sonko until July 22, 2026. The adjournment was granted at the request of Sonko’s legal team, who needed additional time to address recently submitted arguments.
Background of the property dispute
At the heart of the case is a contentious property transfer involving a villa in the Cité Keur Gorgui neighborhood. Mame Mbaye Niang claims that Ousmane Sonko deliberately altered ownership records to evade a court-ordered financial penalty. The dispute centers on a 264m² plot with lot number R/17, where Sonko is accused of transferring the property to his family to prevent enforcement of a 200 million FCFA damages award.
Sonko was previously convicted in a separate case, receiving a two-month prison sentence and a 200 million FCFA fine payable to Niang. Efforts to execute the judgment hit a roadblock when Niang discovered the alleged fraudulent transfer of the villa’s lease rights.
Legal maneuvering and previous delays
This isn’t the first time the case has been postponed. An earlier hearing scheduled for June 10 was also delayed, allowing Niang’s legal representatives to refine their counterarguments against Sonko’s defense filings. The prolonged litigation underscores the complexity of property disputes in Senegal’s judicial system, where delays are not uncommon.
Niang’s legal team argues that the transfer was a deliberate strategy to render Sonko insolvent and shield the property from seizure. The next court date will determine whether the villa’s ownership reverts to Niang or if Sonko’s defense holds merit.