The Dakar Criminal Court has postponed the verdict in the signature forgery case involving former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, where Khardiata Tandian stands accused. The decision was deferred from July 9, 2026, to July 23 of the same year due to the absence of Cherif Zeyni Abidin Sy, identified as the alleged accomplice of the defendant.

The court also denied Khardiata Tandian’s request for provisional release, despite her legal team’s arguments that she met all necessary conditions. Her lawyers emphasized her prolonged preventive detention of over a year, her marital status, and her role as a mother to a young child. They further contended that the time already served could cover the potential sentence, and further incarceration would severely disrupt her family and social stability.

The prosecution strongly opposed her release, citing risks to public order and insufficient guarantees that she would remain available for judicial proceedings. Although the defense countered that no witness intimidation risk existed since Khardiata Tandian had already testified, the court sided with the prosecution’s stance. As a result, she remains in custody until the case reaches its conclusion.