Senegal Strips Immunity From Opposition Leader Accused of Rape

(Bloomberg) -- Senegal’s national assembly stripped immunity from a prominent opposition leader facing rape allegations, according to a broadcast of the parliament sitting by Dakar-based RFM radio Friday.

Ousmane Sonko, 46, is now expected to face criminal charges after a beautician accused him of rape. The lawmaker denied the accusations in a Feb. 7 Facebook post, in which he had also invoked his parliamentary immunity.

Sonko, who came third in the West African nation’s 2019 presidential election with 15.7% of the votes, is considered Senegal’s most prominent opposition figure. Former Prime Minister Idrissa Seck, who was second, has since joined President Macky Sall’s government.

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