In a significant turn of events, the Dakar Criminal Court has postponed the verdict in the case involving the alleged falsification of former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s signature. The decision involves Khardiata Tandian, who faces charges alongside Cherif Zeyni Abidin Sy, a suspected accomplice whose absence triggered the delay. Initially scheduled for July 9, 2026, the hearing has now been rescheduled for July 23 of the same year.
The court also denied Khardiata Tandian’s request for provisional release, despite compelling arguments from her defense team. Her lawyer emphasized her prolonged pre-trial detention exceeding a year, her family responsibilities as a married woman and mother, and the potential for the time already served to cover any eventual sentence. Furthermore, the defense warned that further incarceration could severely destabilize her personal and social life.
Prosecutors countered these claims, asserting that granting her freedom would pose a risk to public order and undermine the judicial process. They argued that Khardiata Tandian lacked sufficient guarantees to ensure her appearance in court, despite the defense’s counterpoint that no evidence suggested witness tampering, as she had already testified. Consequently, the court upheld the prosecution’s stance, leaving Khardiata Tandian in detention until the case reaches its conclusion.
