A Senegalese judge has ordered Ousmane Sonko, a renowned opposition leader, to stand trial for alleged rape.
Sonko’s lawyers confirmed this on Wednesday.
Sonko came third in Senegal’s presidential election in 2019 and has proclaimed himself a candidate for the 2024 elections, he enjoys popularity among young people.
However, he has also had legal issues. Most notably, he has been accused of rape by a beauty salon employee where he went for a massage.
Sonko, a 48-year-old former tax inspector, has disputed the charge and claims he is the victim of President Macky Sall’s conspiracy to end his political career.
On Tuesday, the judge signed an order referring Sonko’s case to a criminal court for alleged crimes such as rape and death threats, which he was charged with in 2021.
Sonko has claimed that the rape allegations are part of a plot to derail his 2024 presidential ambition.
His detractors regard the controversial politician as a populist firebrand.
Sonko’s followers applaud his attempts to speak out against corruption and social snobbery, as well as his criticism of international corporations and Senegal’s former colonial power, France.
