Following a recent plenary session dedicated to ratifying six proposed resolutions for establishing inquiry commissions, Ousmane Sonko disclosed that he had received two distinct replies from the Minister of Justice, who also serves as the Keeper of the Seals.
As President of the National Assembly, Ousmane Sonko is seeking comprehensive clarification on the precise scope of the judicial proceedings mentioned by the Justice Minister. These proceedings pertain to land allocation operations that are currently under scrutiny by a proposed parliamentary inquiry commission. Should there be insufficient evidence confirming that the judicial process covers all relevant facts, the legislative body intends to proceed with its own investigations.
The minister’s responses
During the plenary session, where the creation of six investigative commissions was ratified, Ousmane Sonko articulated his position after reviewing the two responses from the Justice Minister. He firmly stated, “If we do not receive more detailed information regarding a judicial procedure covering these specific matters, the National Assembly will be compelled to continue its work through the parliamentary inquiry commissions.”
The President of the National Assembly elaborated that the initial communication from the Minister referred to a judicial instruction concerning land allocations situated around the airport, specifically mentioning the pilgrim’s hangar area. Finding this information inadequate, Sonko confirmed that he had requested further specifics. “I explicitly asked him for this in the letter I sent,” he explained. A subsequent response reportedly indicated an investigation conducted by the Gendarmerie nationale’s Research Section, initiated at the behest of the financial prosecutor. The report from this investigation is said to have already been finalized.
Parliamentary inquiry to continue
However, Ousmane Sonko expressed reservations, noting that the ongoing judicial procedure does not appear to encompass all the land allocation operations targeted by the resolution proposal, particularly those affecting the coastal zone. It is a fundamental principle that the existence of a judicial procedure covering the same facts can impede the establishment or continuation of parliamentary inquiry commissions. Consequently, the crucial task now is to precisely delineate the scope of the current judicial proceedings. Sonko reiterated his warning: “If we do not receive more comprehensive details,” the National Assembly will press ahead with its mandate. This means the inquiry commission could pursue its investigations into any operations not covered by the existing judicial process.