Rédaction Africa Links 24 with La rédaction
Published on 2024-04-09 13:23:50
After the arrest of six members of the Pikine police station, indicted by the Prosecutor of the Pikine-Guédiawaye Court for the alleged murder of Seydina Mohamed Diop, the accomplice of the deceased, Mamadou Diagne, arrested on the night of March 19 to 20, was tried yesterday. Monday, for the offenses of offering and selling Indian hemp, rebellion, and possession of a bladed weapon.
The 38-year-old defendant and professional roofer recounted the circumstances of their arrest. According to the facts presented by Mr. Diagne, he was with a mutual friend and the deceased when the Pikine police intervened. He stated that “they were violently arrested, handcuffed, and beaten before being taken to the police station.” Mamadou Diagne also testified that his accomplice Seydina Mohamed Diop was seriously injured during the arrest and that he did not hear from him afterwards.
The defendant informed that a person named Ndéné managed to escape, only he and Seydina Mohamed Diop were apprehended and handcuffed before being thrown into the van heading to the National Arena. “It was 2 a.m. when we were then taken to the Pikine police station with horrible injuries.” As for his deceased accomplice, Mamadou Niang said that he never saw him again. He just knows that he was taken to the Baye Talla Diop health center (formerly Dominique) in Pikine for treatment before being brought back into custody.
However, the version of the police authorities differs. According to the preliminary investigation report, Mamadou Diagne and Seydina Mohamed Diop were arrested in possession of drugs following an anonymous tip-off. In addition, the police claimed that “the two men put up a fierce resistance during their arrest, resulting in self-inflicted injuries.”
However, Mamadou Niang denied the police version contained in the preliminary investigation report accusing them of being arrested following an anonymous tip-off, in possession of two (02) joints, one of which was already used, five cones, and one hundred grams of Indian hemp. At the bar, Mamadou Diagne’s lawyers strongly contested this version, accusing the police of misconduct and attempting to cover up their mistakes by falsifying the report. They also pointed out the deceased’s medical certificate indicating that “his death was due to metabolic and hypodynamic complications resulting from trauma, to justify police abuses.”
After deliberation, the court decided to release Mamadou Diagne on the benefit of the doubt.
Read the original article(French) on Senegal Direct
