The mayor of Dionewar in Senegal’s Fatick region, Lansana Sarr, has been arrested for his alleged role in facilitating illegal migration. His arrest followed the interception of a pirogue carrying over 500 migrants attempting to reach Spain.
According to local reports, Sarr admitted to receiving 2 million CFA francs (approximately $3,300) from a migration courier, allegedly to bribe officials responsible for combating illegal migration.
However, he later denied this claim, stating the money was meant for legal defense in case of failed crossings.
Investigations revealed multiple phone exchanges between Sarr and an escort involved in the operation, further implicating him in the scheme.
Alongside his alleged accomplices—including a woman who reportedly received 5 million CFA francs ($8,200) from the escort—Sarr faces charges of “criminal conspiracy under aggravated circumstances.”
Amnesty International Senegal’s Executive Director, Seydi Gassama, condemned the growing migration crisis and urged harsher penalties for those involved.
“Senegal is not at war, nor is it facing famine or natural disaster. Tougher prison sentences must be imposed on those risking lives by organizing these death voyages,” he stated on X.
This arrest comes amid a surge in illegal migrant departures from Senegal to Spain’s Canary Islands in recent months.
