The Alliance for the Republic (APR) has voiced fierce condemnation following the detention of its member, Pape Malick Ndour, in connection with a court-ordered arrest warrant tied to the PRODAC case.

The party, led by former President Macky Sall, directly implicates Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, accusing him of orchestrating what it calls a «hostage-taking» against their colleague. In a strongly worded statement, the APR asserts that Sonko was the first to publicly label the arrest as a «hostage situation,» thereby positioning himself as the alleged mastermind behind the move.

APR challenges the legal basis of the charges

The party rejects the validity of the accusations, arguing that the prosecution relies on a 2018 report by the Inspectorate General of Finance (IGF)—a document dated before Ndour even assumed his role as PRODAC coordinator in June 2019. The APR contends that this discrepancy renders the report an unreliable foundation for legal proceedings, dismissing it as a flimsy pretext to justify the «judicial sequestration of an upright citizen who performed commendably in his position.»

The APR further criticizes the lack of adversarial procedure in the case, citing a non-contradictory accounting report as the sole evidentiary pillar. It describes the allegations as «shockingly trivial» and condemns the systematic use of pretrial detention in cases where fundamental fair trial guarantees appear severely compromised.

APR warns against democratic backsliding

The party warns that the arrest sets a dangerous precedent, undermining core democratic principles such as the presumption of innocence, due process, and individual freedoms. In its statement, the APR rejects any normalization of the criminalization of opposition figures and the intimidation of political leaders, framing the incident as part of a broader strategy to silence dissent.

The APR pledges unwavering support for Ndour, his family, legal team, and all party members, urging them to remain vigilant and united against what it describes as an assault on Senegal’s democratic foundations. The party holds the government fully accountable for Ndour’s physical and moral safety, demanding his immediate and unconditional release.

The APR concludes by reaffirming its commitment to standing alongside all victims of injustice, confident that justice will ultimately prevail over arbitrary actions.