Ousmane Sonko, the main opposition leader and presidential candidate in Senegal, said he was innocent when he went to court for the first time on Thursday in Dakar to answer rape charges.
The 48-year-old politician, who finished third in the previous presidential race and hopes to run again in 2024, is accused of raping a beauty shop staffer while getting a massage.
After the three-hour hearing, Sonko tweeted that he thought it went well.
Bamba Cissé, one of his lawyers, branded the case as a “state conspiracy,” an allegation often made by the opposition leader, and urged that it be withdrawn. Sonko encouraged his supporters to remain calm yesterday. During the hearing, there was a lot of security around the city, especially around Sonko’s home and the court building in the capital.
Last year, his arrest and indictment led to several days of violence, looting, and destruction. Members of Sonko’s opposition coalition, Yewwi Askan Wi, have said they stand behind their leader and will stand together against any wrongdoing.
The government has said that none of the state’s institutions were used wrongly in the case against Sonko.
