APR condemns Pape Malick Ndour arrest, accuses Ousmane Sonko of orchestrating attack

The Alliance pour la République (APR) has voiced its unwavering outrage over the detention of its member Pape Malick Ndour, who was taken into custody following a court order linked to the PRODAC case.

In an official statement, the party of former President Macky Sall accused Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko of publicly declaring the move a “hostage-taking” and positioning himself as its “mastermind.”

The APR strongly contested the legal basis of the charges, arguing that the allegations hinge on a 2018 report from the Inspection Générale des Finances (IGF)—a document dated before Pape Malick Ndour even joined PRODAC in June 2019. The party dismissed the accusations as legally groundless, asserting that the evidence lacks credibility and fails to meet the standards required for a fair judicial process.

The APR described the charges as “remarkably trivial,” condemning the systematic use of pretrial detention in cases where fundamental procedural safeguards appear compromised. The party highlighted what it calls alarming inconsistencies in the evidence, describing it as “flimsy, insufficiently contested, and possibly fabricated,” raising serious concerns about the integrity of the proceedings.

Beyond the immediate case, the APR framed the incident as part of a broader threat to democratic principles, warning that Senegal risks normalizing the criminalization of political opposition and the intimidation of elected leaders. The party reaffirmed its unconditional support for Pape Malick Ndour, his family, legal team, and all those defending his rights, urging party members to remain united and vigilant against any erosion of civil liberties.

The APR held the government fully accountable for Pape Malick Ndour’s physical and moral well-being, demanding his immediate and unconditional release. In closing, the party vowed to stand firm with all victims of injustice, declaring its faith that justice will ultimately prevail over arbitrary power.