Three prominent Senegalese influencers have been sentenced to prison terms for allegedly insulting the head of state and violating public decency laws. The case stems from a widely shared TikTok clip in which Mandoumbe Diop (known as Lamignou Darou), Magueye Diaw (Oustaz Thiep), and Moustapha Ndiaye (Ndiaye Touba) made inflammatory remarks following a religious gathering.

In the video, the trio prayed for harm to befall « the greatest traitor of Senegal, » calling for paralysis, stroke, or death without explicitly naming President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. However, the court ruled that the remarks were clearly directed at him.

Mandoumbe Diop received a three-month prison sentence, while Magueye Diaw and Moustapha Ndiaye were each handed two-month terms. All three must also pay a fine of 500,000 Central African francs.

Political backdrop fuels controversy

The ruling coincides with a deepening rift between President Faye and his former mentor, Ousmane Sonko. The president recently formalized his political break by launching his own party, further straining their once-close alliance. The influencers’ legal team has vowed to appeal the verdict, arguing that the video was a form of satirical comedy rather than a direct attack on the president. Their lawyer, Me Abdy Nar Ndiaye, condemned the judgment as a « dangerous precedent » for freedom of expression in Senegal.