Keep Up With Global Black News

Sign up to our newsletter to get the latest updates and events from the leading Afro-Diaspora publisher straight to your inbox.

BY Mark Babatunde, 10:00am August 19, 2016,

Court Fines Senegalese Woman Who Exposed Corrupt Police Officer

by Mark Babatunde, 10:00am August 19, 2016,

Senegalese woman Sokhna Bousso Gaye has been ordered to pay the sum of $250 by a Senegalese court for what it considers an attempt to bribe a police officer. Gaye was also given a one-month suspended sentence.

The BBC reports that Sokhna Gaye posted a video on social media of a traffic police officer demanding a bribe from her. The video, which she managed to film in secret, shows the officer writing out a traffic ticket for her and then go ahead to chew it up after a $5 bribe was paid. The incident happened last month as Gaye and her friend were driving through Senegal’s capital, Dakar.

In the video, the policeman can be heard telling Gaye in the local Wolof language that she was guilty of a traffic violation. He then “threatened” to issue her a ticket fine for $10, which she would have to pay at a police station. But then he apparently softens up, collects the $5 bribe, and destroys the ticket by eating it.

The video, which went viral on social media, led to the prosecution of the policeman, who was duly identified as Assane Diallo. The courts found him guilty of receiving a bribe but let him off lightly with a combined fine of $250 and a suspended two-month sentence.

Curiously, the courts also found Gaye guilty of paying a bribe despite the fact that she had filmed the policeman demanding the money. Prosecutions of law enforcement personnel are dismally low in Senegal, and many have expressed surprise that officer was even charged in court.

The unnamed woman riding with Gaye in the car was also arrested on Wednesday. Authorities say she will be charged with corruption as well.

Last Edited by:iboateng Updated: August 22, 2016

Conversations

Must Read

Connect with us

Join our Mailing List to Receive Updates

Face2face Africa | Afrobeatz+ | BlackStars

Keep Up With Global Black News and Events

Sign up to our newsletter to get the latest updates and events from the leading Afro-Diaspora publisher straight to your inbox, plus our curated weekly brief with top stories across our platforms.

No, Thank You