Senegal ex-leader's son quizzed on graft

2012-11-22 22:32

The son of Senegal's ex-president Abdoulaye Wade, Karim Wade (L), waves as he arrives at the paramilitary police headquarters in Dakar. (File, AFP)

Dakar - The son of Senegal's ex-president Abdoulaye Wade was summoned on Thursday for questioning over graft claims against him for the fourth time this year, a source close to the investigation said.

"Karim [Wade] is at the paramilitary police headquarters" in the capital Dakar, for questioning, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The 44-year old was questioned twice in July and most recently on 15 November, after which he was forbidden from leaving the country.

He and six other officials from Wade's regime are being investigated for graft by the regime of President Macky Sall who won a March poll marred by violence over the 86-year-old Wade's bid to seek a third term in office.

Karim Wade, aged 44, was a divisive figure who many in Senegal saw as being groomed to succeed his father.

He was often criticised for alleged mismanagement of public finances and was nicknamed "super minister", or "the minister of the earth and the sky" after the elder Wade placed him in charge of international co-operation, air transport, infrastructure and energy.

He was also appointed head of the national arm of what is now the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation and tasked with major public works ahead of the group's summit in Dakar in 2008.

The former ruling Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) has criticised the investigation and travel ban on Wade and other officials as a "witch hunt".

- AFP