Senegalese Court Acquits Aisha Fatty, Dismisses Civil Claims Filed by Abdoulaye Thiam

A court in Senegal has acquitted Aisha Fatty of all criminal charges brought against her by Abdoulaye Thiam, concluding a high-profile legal dispute that had attracted significant public attention.

Before issuing its ruling, the court addressed several preliminary objections raised during the proceedings. It dismissed defence arguments relating to jurisdiction and the existence of parallel litigation, allowing the case to proceed to a full hearing on its merits.

In its final judgment (le dispositif), the court ordered the dismissal of Aisha Fatty from the prosecution, a determination that amounts to a full acquittal under Senegalese law. The decision effectively nullifies all criminal charges, with the court finding that the prosecution failed to meet the evidentiary threshold required for a conviction.

The ruling also dealt a setback to the civil claims filed by Abdoulaye Thiam. Although the court acknowledged his standing as a civil party in the case, it ultimately rejected his claims for damages.

In addressing the civil aspect of the proceedings, the court deemed Thiam’s claims “ill-founded” and dismissed them in their entirety. Consequently, all legal costs and court fees will be borne by the public treasury rather than either party.

The outcome represents a comprehensive legal victory for Fatty and her defence team. By rejecting the civil claims as lacking merit, the court underscored the absence of both legal and factual grounds for the compensation sought by Thiam.

As of Thursday afternoon, Thiam’s representatives had not indicated whether they would appeal the decision. Should no appeal be filed within the prescribed legal timeframe, the ruling will stand as final.