Former Senegal Ministers Indicted in Pandemic Fund Corruption Scandal

Dakar, Senegal – Multiple former ministers from the administration of ex-President Macky Sall are facing serious charges of corruption and embezzlement over their alleged misappropriation of COVID-19 relief funds, as Senegal’s High Court of Justice launches a sweeping probe into pandemic-era mismanagement.

On Thursday, the court indicted Moustapha Diop, Sall's former Industrial Development Minister, accusing him of misusing approximately $4 million from the national COVID-19 response fund.

Just a day earlier, Aissatou Sophie Gladima, former Minister of Mines, was formally charged with embezzlement and detained. She is alleged to have diverted over 193 million CFA francs (about €295,000) from a government aid fund meant for pandemic-impacted miners, according to information confirmed by French news agency AFP.

The week has seen a cascade of similar cases:

• On Tuesday, former Justice Minister Ismaila Madior Fall was charged with accepting bribes.

• On Monday, Salimata Diop, former Women's Minister, was indicted for complicity in embezzlement. She was released on bail of around $97,750.

• Amadou Mansour Faye, former Minister for Community Development and Sall’s brother-in-law, is under investigation for allegedly diverting about $4.5 million from COVID-19 support funds between 2020 and 2021.

These prosecutions are being conducted by the High Court of Justice, a newly operational special court with the mandate to try presidents and ministers for misconduct in office.

A Shift Toward Accountability

The charges align with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s strong anti-corruption campaign. Since assuming office in 2024, Faye has committed to rooting out graft and pursuing justice for mismanagement under his predecessor.

“It's positive, because we have a justice system that tries to put everyone on an equal footing. It's a good instrument,” said Moundiaye Cisse, Director of local NGO 3D, speaking to RFI.

The government has also announced its intent to summon former President Macky Sall over what it calls “catastrophic” financial mismanagement during his tenure from 2012 to 2024. A damning audit revealed significant irregularities in national accounts and treasury data.

Sall, now living in Morocco, has dismissed the accusations as “politically motivated”.

With these ongoing investigations, Senegal appears to be taking serious steps toward institutional transparency, setting a precedent in West Africa’s broader battle against public sector corruption.