Ousmane Sonko seeks clarity from justice minister on land allocation probes

Ousmane Sonko, the President of the National Assembly, is seeking detailed information on the scope of the judicial proceedings mentioned by the Minister of Justice. These proceedings relate to land allocation operations that are the subject of a proposed parliamentary inquiry commission. Without sufficient evidence confirming that the judicial procedure encompasses all relevant facts, the legislative body intends to continue its investigations.

After the plenary session, which saw the approval of six proposals to establish investigative commissions, Sonko confirmed receiving two communications from the Justice Minister. “If we do not obtain more precise information regarding a judicial procedure covering these matters, the National Assembly will be compelled to proceed with its work within the framework of parliamentary inquiry commissions,” he asserted.

The President of the National Assembly clarified that the initial response from the minister indicated a judicial investigation targeting land allocation activities situated around the airport, specifically near the pilgrims’ hangar. Deeming this information inadequate, Sonko confirmed that he formally requested additional details in a written letter. A subsequent communication then reportedly outlined an inquiry conducted by the National Gendarmerie’s Research Section, initiated at the financial prosecutor’s request, with its report already finalized.

However, Sonko expressed concerns that this ongoing judicial procedure might not cover the entirety of the land allocation operations outlined in the resolution proposal, particularly those concerning the coastal zone. It is crucial to note that initiating judicial proceedings on specific facts typically precludes the establishment or continuation of parliamentary inquiry commissions into the same matters. Therefore, the immediate objective is to precisely define the exact scope of the current judicial procedure. “Should further clarity not be provided,” Ousmane Sonko warned, the National Assembly will press ahead with its work. Consequently, the inquiry commission could continue its investigations into any operations not encompassed by the judicial proceedings.