Senegal's Khadim Bâ legal case draws calls for transparency

Babacar Ba, president of the Forum du Justiciable, urged Senegalese authorities to provide a clear ruling on the Khadim Bâ case, which has now lasted twenty months of detention. The customs administration accuses Bâ of submitting falsified documents, evading import duties and failing to repatriate 44 billion CFA francs. Bâ’s defence counters with evidence: the Senegalese oil company SAR confirmed the vessels arrived and duties were paid; an independent financial expert commissioned by judges verified SAR as the importer; Dakar‑Petrole validated the shipments; and the BCEAO affirmed all transactions occurred in CFA within Senegal. Ba emphasised that transparent and equitable justice is essential to maintain public confidence in the judiciary and stability in the country’s energy sector. He also highlighted perceived disparities in the treatment of other actors, such as Lan Mazanek and Coris Bank, suggesting inconsistencies in how economic crimes are prosecuted.