Following Thursday’s plenary session, which focused on ratifying six proposed resolutions for establishing inquiry commissions, Ousmane Sonko revealed that he had received two responses from the Minister of Justice, the Keeper of the Seals.
The President of the National Assembly, Ousmane Sonko, is demanding further details regarding the scope of the judicial proceedings mentioned by the Minister of Justice. These proceedings pertain to land allocation operations that are currently under scrutiny by a proposed parliamentary inquiry commission. Without concrete evidence confirming that the judicial process encompasses all relevant facts, the legislative body intends to continue its own investigations.
During the plenary session on Thursday, dedicated to endorsing six resolutions for the establishment of investigative commissions, Sonko confirmed receiving two communications from the Justice Minister. He emphasized, “Should we not receive more comprehensive clarifications regarding the judicial procedure concerning these matters, the National Assembly will be compelled to proceed with its work through the parliamentary inquiry commissions.”
The National Assembly President elaborated that the initial response from the minister described a judicial investigation into land allocation activities near the airport, specifically around the pilgrims’ hangar. Deeming this information inadequate, Sonko confirmed he had sought additional specifics. “I explicitly requested this in the letter I sent to him,” Sonko stated. A subsequent response reportedly indicated an inquiry conducted by the National Gendarmerie’s Research Section, initiated at the financial prosecutor’s behest, with its report already concluded.
However, Ousmane Sonko expressed concern that this judicial process does not appear to encompass all land allocation operations targeted by the proposed resolution, particularly those affecting the coastal region. It is a known principle that initiating a judicial procedure on specific facts can impede the establishment or continuation of parliamentary inquiry commission activities. The immediate challenge, therefore, is to precisely define the boundaries of the ongoing judicial investigation. Sonko warned that “if we do not receive more comprehensive details,” the National Assembly will proceed with its work. This would allow the inquiry commission to continue its investigations into any operations not covered by the existing judicial procedure.
