Senegal court issues partial non‑lieu, refers 71 suspects to trial in Pape Cheikh Diallo case

On 7 August 2026 the judge of the first cabinet of the Tribunal de grande instance of Pikine‑Guédiawaye issued a partial non‑lieu in the high‑profile criminal investigation known as the Pape Cheikh Diallo affair. The ruling acquitted 28 of the 99 accused and ordered the remaining 71 to appear before the correctional tribunal on charges of association of criminals and acts against nature. The prosecutor, Saliou Dicko, contested the decision and filed an appeal, keeping the case open for further judicial review.

The investigation, launched in March 2026, has involved a range of public figures, including television host Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Diallo (known as Pape Cheikh), singer Djiby Dramé, and journalist Pape Birame Bigué Ndiaye, who received a separate non‑lieu for insufficient evidence. Earlier charges of voluntary HIV transmission and endangering life were also dismissed for lack of evidence. The appeal will be examined by the Chamber of Accusation of the Dakar Court of Appeal, which will determine the final disposition of the remaining defendants.