In a significant move impacting press freedom in Sénégal, Minister Mabouba Diagne has initiated legal proceedings for defamation against several media organizations. The minister alleges these outlets disseminated false information, unjustly linking him to financial irregularities detailed in a report by the esteemed Court of Accounts. This judicial action brings to the forefront critical discussions concerning journalistic accountability and the boundaries of expression within the Senegalese media landscape.
Mabouba Diagne, who holds the portfolio for Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Livestock, officially lodged a complaint with the public prosecutor at the High Court of Dakar. The complaint cites charges of defamation and the dissemination of false information.
Reports indicate that the formal request has been duly recorded by the prosecutor’s office under the reference number 8815.
Minister’s allegations against media outlets
The minister’s grievances stem from various media publications that, in his view, improperly linked him to financial discrepancies highlighted in a Court of Accounts report. This report specifically scrutinized the administration of subsidized agricultural equipment. The articles in question reportedly surfaced around Friday, May 15, 2026.
According to the legal brief submitted by his counsel, Me Khadim Kébé, certain news organizations allegedly broadcast details from a provisional 2025 Court of Accounts report. This document purportedly outlined anomalies in the program’s management, and these media outlets, the complaint asserts, directly implicated Minister Diagne in the alleged irregularities.
The minister maintains that some of these publications deliberately fostered confusion, either by featuring his image alongside the articles or by implying his direct personal involvement in the matters under discussion.
Mabouba Diagne’s defense
Mabouba Diagne firmly asserts that these publications lack any verifiable evidence to substantiate his involvement in any malfeasance. He further clarified that the agreements pertaining to the subsidized agricultural equipment, established with the Banque Agricole, were finalized prior to his assumption of ministerial duties.
The minister emphasizes that the provisional Court of Accounts report does not specifically identify him as being responsible for or complicit in any financial irregularities.
Considering his honor to have been compromised, the minister has decided to pursue legal action against those responsible for the publications and any other implicated parties. This legal recourse is based on articles 255 and 258 of the Penal Code, which address defamation and the propagation of false news, respectively.