Three prominent Senegalese influencers have been handed firm prison sentences for “insulting the head of state” and “spreading indecent speech,” following the viral spread of a TikTok video. The court sentenced Mandoumbe Diop, known online as Lamignou Darou, to three months in prison. Magueye Diaw (Oustaz Thiep) and Moustapha Ndiaye (Ndiaye Touba) each received two-month sentences. All three must also pay a fine of 500,000 West African francs.

The case stems from a video filmed after a religious gathering, in which the influencers made comments wishing harm upon “the greatest traitor of Senegal,” including prayers for paralysis, stroke, or death. While President Bassirou Diomaye Faye was never explicitly named, the court ruled that the remarks were clearly directed at him.

Sentencing in a politically charged climate

This verdict arrives at a time when relations between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his former mentor, Ousmane Sonko, have deteriorated sharply. The head of state recently formalized their political split by launching his own party. The influencers’ legal team strongly disputes the ruling, arguing that the video was a form of satirical performance with no direct reference to the president. Lead attorney Me Abdy Nar Ndiaye condemned the judgment as a “dangerous precedent” for freedom of expression in Senegal and confirmed plans to appeal the decision.