On July 2, 2025, Senegalese journalist and columnist Bachir Fofana who has been in detention since June 25, 2025 was brought to trial at the Dakar Court for Immediate Offenses (Tribunal des flagrants délits).
According to Le Quotidien, the media outlet Bachir works for, the prosecutor requested a six-month prison sentence, including three months of actual jail time, as well as a fine of 200,000 CFA francs (USD 350).
On his part, the lawyer for Fofana requested for provisional release of the journalist, but the court denied the request. As a result, the journalist will remain in detention until July 16, 2025 when the final verdict will be delivered.
Bachir Fofana was taken into custody on June 25, 2025, by the Special Division for Cybersecurity. His detention followed an investigation by the public prosecutor which was prompted by a complaint lodged by the president of the National Assembly, El Malick Ndiaye.
The journalist was accused of sharing false information regarding a public procurement process for official vehicles intended for members of parliament, a process overseen by the National Assembly.
Although the National Assembly has not denied the substance of Fofana’s claims or labelled them as false, he remains in detention over a naming error. He mistakenly identified the contractor involved in the procurement as Cheikh Guèye, who has an alleged history of embezzlement, instead of Cheikh Dieng, the actual contract awardee.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) finds the continued detention of journalist Fofona regrettable. We call on the the authorities to end the legal harassment being inflicted on the journalist and drop all charges against him.
