Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall in custody for fraud

The mayor of Senegal’s capital, Dakar, has been placed in custody for allegedly embezzling public money. A judge investigating $2.9m (£2.3m) in missing city funds has charged Khalifa Sall with fraud, criminal conspiracy and money laundering. He denies any wrongdoing and says his arrest is politically motivated. Mr Sall, who has been Dakar’s mayor since […]

The mayor of Senegal’s capital, Dakar, has been placed in custody for allegedly embezzling public money.
A judge investigating $2.9m (£2.3m) in missing city funds has charged Khalifa Sall with fraud, criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
He denies any wrongdoing and says his arrest is politically motivated.
Mr Sall, who has been Dakar’s mayor since 2009, has been widely considered a possible presidential contender for elections in 2019.
He is a member of the Socialist Party, part of the ruling coalition, but he is considered a maverick.
The mayor was arrested on Tuesday and spent the night in detention, along with at least five members of his staff.
Under Senegalese law, he will not be eligible for bail and will stay in jail until his trial.