An imam at a mosque in Saly Carrefour is languishing in Mbour prison. He is accused of selling a non-existent plot of land in the Médine neighbourhood of Mbour to one I Bâ for 18 million CFA francs, and subsequently handing over forged administrative documents.
In early January, Bâ met Imam M Faye through a friend, Mr Mbaye. During their discussions, the young man informed the Saly Carrefour imam of his intention to purchase a plot of land on the Petite-Côte. True to form, the imam reassured him and claimed to have a plot for sale in Médine. The two men visited the site together to inspect it, after which the imam agreed to sell the land to his client for 18 million CFA francs.
Taking the imam at his word, the client immediately paid the requested amount, handing it over without suspicion. In return, Bâ received nothing but forged administrative documents from Imam Faye, including a deed of sale falsified by the man falsely claiming to own the plot. However, ten days later, Bâ, the new owner, decided to officially transfer the title to the land before beginning construction. To his great surprise, upon visiting both the town hall and the Mbour prefecture, he discovered that the land in question did not belong to the imam.
In fact, the imam held no legitimate title to any plot in the area concerned.
Bâ eventually filed a formal complaint against him. The imam, a repeat offender with an extensive criminal record, was arrested by law enforcement personnel and remanded to Mbour prison.
On Tuesday, the parties appeared before the Mbour high court. The imam denied the allegations, maintaining that the plot in question was indeed his property. The imam claimed to have received it as a gift from a former mayor of Mbour, yet he possesses no official documentation regarding the plot. At the close of the proceedings, the public prosecutor called for the law to be applied. The verdict is scheduled for 29th September.
Senenews