Son of Senegal ex-president jailed for graft

Karim Wade, son of Senegal's former president Abdoulaye Wade, was on Monday sentenced to six years in prison with a fine of $276 million by the country's anti-corruption court.

Wade was charged for illegally acquiring wealth estimated to be $234 million, Xinhua news agency reported.

The special prosecutor had asked the court to imprison Wade for seven years with a fine of $250 billion CFA Francs ($500 million). He had also asked for confiscation of his properties and deprivation of his rights.

The prosecutor asked the court to sentence Wade's accomplices to periods ranging from four to 10 years, and to fine each of them 250 billion CFA Francs.

The ruling in the case, which was the longest in Senegal since it began in July 2014, was made in the presence of Abdoulaye Wade. He left the courtroom without saying a word.

His accomplices, who included Alioune Diasse and Bibo Bourgi, were sentenced to five years in prison and fined 138 billion CFA Francs, while Pape Mamadou Pouye was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 68 billion CFA Francs.

Forty-eight hours before the ruling, Wade, who had been in detention for the last 23 months, was chosen as the opposition's presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections during the national congress of the main opposition party, Senegalese Democratic Party.