Journalist and Walf TV commentator Pape Sané was sentenced on December 10, 2025, to three months’ suspended imprisonment, and fined 250,000 CFA francs (USD 445) for spreading false news. The conviction relates to statements he made on air about Sanna Manjang, a former member of the Junglers, the notorious paramilitary unit under former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, accused of serious human rights violations.
The case stems from comments Sané made during the television programme “Balance”, broadcast on December 2, 2025. During the show, he claimed that Manjang had been interrogated by Senegalese security agencies over alleged links with Senegalese political figures. The public prosecutor described these allegations as unfounded, and legal proceedings were initiated for spreading false news.
On December 5, 2025, Sané was taken into police custody. Prosecutors indicated that the investigation concerned alleged “undermining of military honour” and “dissemination of information likely to disturb public order”. He was subsequently remanded into police custody and placed in pre-trial detention.
The case was brought before the court and heard on December 10, 2025 under the flagrante delicto procedure, an expedited process used when an offence is considered to have been committed in the act or discovered shortly after its commission. At the hearing, the court convicted Sané of spreading false news, sentencing him to three months’ suspended imprisonment, and imposing a fine of 250,000 CFA francs (USD 445). He was set free following the judgment.
Sanna Manjang had been arrested in Casamance, southern Senegal, in late November 2025 and extradited to The Gambia to face charges including murder and torture related to alleged crimes committed during Yahya Jammeh’s rule.
The case of Pape Sané reflects growing concerns about the criminalisation of journalistic expression in Senegal. While combating disinformation is a legitimate objective, the use of custodial measures and criminal prosecution against journalists for comments made in the course of their professional duties risks undermining press freedom. This case adds to those of Abdou Nguer, Doudou Coulibaly, Bachir Fofana, Badara Gadiaga, Moustapha Diakhate and Simon Faye, who have also faced legal action in recent months.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) calls on the Senegalese authorities to respect their national, regional and international obligations on freedom of expression and press freedom. The organisation urges the authorities to prioritise non-criminal remedies in disputes relating to information and to ensure a safe and enabling environment for journalists.
