Senegal Ex-President's Son Abdoulaye Wade Detained In Dakar
https://nigeriaafrica1.blogspot.com/2013/04/senegal-ex-president-son-abdoulaye-wade.html
The flamboyant "super minister" son of former Senegalese leader Abdoulaye Wade was detained in Dakar on Monday as police investigate his assets, valued at more than $1 billion, his lawyer told AFP.
Karim Wade, who held a number of cabinet posts under his father's presidency, has been locked in legal battles with the current regime over his formidable wealth, alleged to be illicit gains from his time in office.
Wade, who was arrested in his Dakar home earlier Monday, was "placed in custody at the request of the prosecution", one of his lawyers, Demba Cire Bathily, told AFP.
Wade is alleged to own a number of foreign companies including Dubai Port World, which runs the port container terminal in Senegal capital Dakar, Moroccan bank BCME and airport ground support company AHS.
His arrest came just hours after his legal team had filed a dossier of more than 2,000 pages in response to an order from the nation's anti-corruption court to explain how he had come by assets allegedly worth over $1.4 billion (1.07 billion euros).
Wade, who was not present at the court, denies corruption and says his vast fortune comes legitimately from the companies he owns as well as "real estate" and bank accounts.
His lawyers have accused Alioune Ndao, the special prosecutor of the court, of "inventing" the facts in the graft case.
"The regime is testing our resolve but the law is on our side," another one of his lawyers, Cire Cledor Ly, told reporters.
The former ruling Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) accuses the regime of Macky Sall, who defeated Wade's father in presidential elections last year, of conducting a "witch hunt" against the PDS hierarchy since it came to power.
Sall, who won a resounding victory in a March poll marred by violence over the 86-year-old's efforts to seek a third term in office, launched a number of audits into the finances of political rivals shortly after his inauguration.
Several leaders of the 2000-2012 Wade regime, including his son, have been repeatedly questioned by police and judges investigating allegations of "illegal enrichment".
Karim Wade is also under investigation in France following a complaint by the Senegalese government over the alleged embezzlement of public funds, misuse of corporate assets and corruption, according to a judicial source.
After his last questioning by police in November, he was banned from leaving Senegal along with six other officials from the former regime.
The younger Wade was an extremely divisive figure in Senegalese politics in the run-up to the presidential elections in March last year, with many believing his father was trying to line him up for succession.
Wade, who was arrested in his Dakar home earlier Monday, was "placed in custody at the request of the prosecution", one of his lawyers, Demba Cire Bathily, told AFP.
Wade is alleged to own a number of foreign companies including Dubai Port World, which runs the port container terminal in Senegal capital Dakar, Moroccan bank BCME and airport ground support company AHS.
His arrest came just hours after his legal team had filed a dossier of more than 2,000 pages in response to an order from the nation's anti-corruption court to explain how he had come by assets allegedly worth over $1.4 billion (1.07 billion euros).
Wade, who was not present at the court, denies corruption and says his vast fortune comes legitimately from the companies he owns as well as "real estate" and bank accounts.
His lawyers have accused Alioune Ndao, the special prosecutor of the court, of "inventing" the facts in the graft case.
"The regime is testing our resolve but the law is on our side," another one of his lawyers, Cire Cledor Ly, told reporters.
The former ruling Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) accuses the regime of Macky Sall, who defeated Wade's father in presidential elections last year, of conducting a "witch hunt" against the PDS hierarchy since it came to power.
Sall, who won a resounding victory in a March poll marred by violence over the 86-year-old's efforts to seek a third term in office, launched a number of audits into the finances of political rivals shortly after his inauguration.
Several leaders of the 2000-2012 Wade regime, including his son, have been repeatedly questioned by police and judges investigating allegations of "illegal enrichment".
Karim Wade is also under investigation in France following a complaint by the Senegalese government over the alleged embezzlement of public funds, misuse of corporate assets and corruption, according to a judicial source.
After his last questioning by police in November, he was banned from leaving Senegal along with six other officials from the former regime.
The younger Wade was an extremely divisive figure in Senegalese politics in the run-up to the presidential elections in March last year, with many believing his father was trying to line him up for succession.
