Madiambal Diagne Case: Walf Columnist Assane Messéré Faces Serious Legal Risks

Lawyers for Madiambal Diagne, head of Groupe Avenir Communication, filed a complaint with the Dakar prosecutor’s office naming Walf columnist Assane Messéré among those targeted. Diagne announced the complaint on X but did not specify the allegations. If the statements at issue are deemed defamatory, Article 261 of Senegal’s Penal Code provides for up to two years in prison and a fine of up to one million CFA francs; public insult under Article 262 can carry up to two months in prison and a fine of 100,000 CFA francs. These penalties are not automatic: the complaint’s detailed grounds have not been made public, and the alleged offenses must be established before prosecution or conviction can follow.