In Senegal, the mayor of the island commune of Dionewar, Lansana Sarr, has admitted to receiving a significant sum of money from a smuggler involved in irregular migrant routes to Spain.
Lansana Sarr, now facing legal trouble in Senegal, was arrested on Friday, March 14, by the gendarmerie in Foundiougne, just hours after a pirogue carrying 547 people bound for Spain was intercepted. During questioning, he confessed to having received two million CFA francs—approximately 3,300 US dollars—from one of the smugglers, who was also apprehended.
According to the newspaper L’Observateur, citing the smuggler’s testimony, the money was intended for public officials tasked with combating irregular migration, in order to facilitate the departure of the boats during the sea crossing. However, Sarr, who is also an executive at the national postal service, did not deny the allegations, claiming instead that the funds were meant to pay for legal counsel in case the migrants were intercepted.
The same outlet reported that Sarr appeared shaken during the investigation, particularly due to the numerous phone conversations he had with the smuggler. A search ordered by the public prosecutor in Fatick revealed multiple calls exchanged between the two men as the journey was being prepared.
The mayor of Dionewar and his alleged accomplices—including a woman who reportedly received five million CFA francs (around 8,200 dollars) from a smuggler—are being prosecuted for “aggravated criminal conspiracy” and are expected to appear before the Judicial and Financial Investigations Unit (PJF).
Seydi Gassama, Executive Director of Amnesty International Senegal, has called for tougher penalties against those fueling the migrant smuggling networks. He emphasized that Senegal is neither at war nor experiencing a natural disaster, and that prison sentences must be strengthened for those endangering the lives of migrants, especially children and minors.