Former president’s son charged with corruption

By Godfrey Olukya 18-4-2013

Yesterday’s formal charging of Karim Wade, the son of the West African nation’s former president Abdoulaye Wade, with corruption and his being denied bail at orders of prosecutors has excited many Senegalese

Court denied Wade bail and spent last night in jail. His relatives and friends who had gathered in court to help him get bail were shocked when it was denied.

Wade was arrested this week on suspicion of illegally amassing 1.4 US billion dollars wealth through corrupt means when his father was the head of state. He is believed to have been running shadowy companies.

‘We get happy on seeing such people being taken to courts of law and being charged with corruption.’ said Abdou Seyidu.’A lot of public funds were swindled by a few relatives of big politicians and the earlier they are made to refund the stolen funds the better for out of country.’ he added.

Current president, Macky Sall, who defeated Abdoulaye Wade vowed to bring to book all those suspected to have been involved in corruption during past regimes. Wade is among the few who have so far been charged but many others are expected to face the law.

During his father’s regime, Karim Wade simultaneously held the post of minister for infrastructure, international cooperation, energy and air transportation, with a total budget equivalent to one-third of state expenditure.

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