Mabouba Diagne, who currently holds the portfolio for Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Livestock, formally lodged a complaint for both defamation and the propagation of false reports. This legal filing was submitted to the Public Prosecutor at the High Court of Dakar.

The official request has been duly registered with the prosecutor’s office, bearing the reference number 8815.

Minister’s specific grievances

The core of the minister’s grievance stems from various media publications that, in his view, unfairly linked him to irregularities identified within a Court of Auditors report. This report specifically scrutinized the management of subsidized agricultural equipment. These contentious articles reportedly began circulating on Friday, May 15, 2026.

Counsel Me Khadim Kébé, representing Minister Diagne, stated in the filed complaint that certain press organizations allegedly disseminated information derived from a provisional 2025 Court of Auditors report. This report detailed anomalies in the program’s administration, and these outlets purportedly implicated the minister directly in the cited irregularities.

Minister Diagne contends that some publications deliberately fostered confusion, either by featuring his image alongside the articles or by strongly implying his personal involvement in the events described, impacting his public image in African politics English news.

Mabouba Diagne’s defense

In his defense, Mabouba Diagne asserts that these media reports lack any concrete evidence to substantiate his involvement in any alleged financial impropriety. He further clarified that the agreements concerning subsidized agricultural equipment with the Agricultural Bank were finalized prior to his assumption of ministerial duties, a detail relevant to African economy news.

He emphasizes that the provisional Court of Auditors report does not explicitly identify him as being responsible for, or complicit in, any financial irregularities.

Believing his reputation has been unjustly tarnished, the minister has resolved to initiate legal proceedings against all individuals and entities responsible for these publications. His action is grounded in articles 255 and 258 of the Penal Code, which address defamation and the propagation of false information. This development holds significant implications for Panafrican Press and the broader landscape of Africa news, particularly impacting the continent press.