6 mois ferme requis contre le DG de la Santé publique : Quand une amitié politique finit en scandale de cyberharcèlement et menaces
They have officially parted ways. The two former colleagues from the Pastef-Les-Patriotes party, Ousmane Cissé and El Hadji Mansour Diop, respectively Director General of Public Health and Director of the Aristide Le Dantec Hospital, settled their differences in court. The case was heard this Tuesday at the Dakar District Court. The main defendant, Pape Ibrahima Thiam, a jeweler, is being prosecuted for threats of violence, assault, and non-public insults. Ousmane Cissé is being prosecuted for complicity in these charges.
How Ousmane Cissé and his friend were exposed…
In this case, Dr. El Hadji Mansour Diop, a gynecologist-obstetrician and Director of Aristide Le Dantec Hospital, filed a complaint against persons unknown with the Point E police for insults and defamation allegedly committed from the phone number 76 491… According to the police report registered under number 0977/CPE on January 28, 2025, the complainant stated that on June 11, 2024, he received WhatsApp messages containing insulting and defamatory content, targeting his honor, as well as that of his wife and family. He subsequently provided screenshots to investigators. "She offered her ass to quite a few men without success, and now she's met one who's looking to get laid," the unidentified number had written. Following this, Commissioner Sow's men sent a request to the operator Free for the purpose of identifying the user of the line, geolocating and communicating the call history since June 1, 2024. It turned out that the author of the messages was using a Tecno brand phone.
During his hearing, El Hadji Mansour Diop stated that the style and content of the messages he received reminded him of those he had previously received from Ousmane Cissé, with whom he acknowledged having had a friendly relationship in the past, before a falling out related to a financial dispute dating back to 2023. When questioned, Ousmane Cissé denied being the author of the incriminating messages. He did, however, admit to having bought and given a Tecno brand phone, along with the SIM card in question, to his friend Pape Ibrahima Thiam, before the device ended up in Mandiaye Thiam's possession.
Summoned to court, Pape Ibrahima Thiam, a jeweler by trade, admitted to owning phone number 76491 and to having indeed sent insulting messages to El Hadji Mansour Diop via WhatsApp. He explained that he acted to "support" his friend Ousmane Cissé. The jeweler also admitted to making derogatory remarks about the plaintiff and his wife. Ibrahima Thiam apologized and asked for leniency from the court.
A confrontation was arranged between the different parties. El Hadji Mansour Diop maintained his complaint in its entirety, asserting that the messages he received were insulting and defamatory. Ousmane Cissé, for his part, confirmed that he had handed over the phone and SIM card, while also announcing that he had filed a counter-complaint against the plaintiff.
At the bar
Before the Dakar court, Pape Ibrahima Thiam, prosecuted for acts of violence, assault, and non-public insults, admitted to the charges. However, Ousmane Cissé, a teacher and researcher, prosecuted for complicity, denied his involvement.
The plaintiff, El Hadji Mansour Diop, recounted the story: “The events date back to 2024. On June 10th, I received a message that concerned me. I asked him to state his identity. He did not. He called me all sorts of names. He called my wife a woman of loose morals. I asked my lawyer to file a complaint with the Cybersecurity Unit. As he persisted, I contacted the Point E police,” he explained.
The court gave the floor to Ousmane Cissé, who vehemently denied any wrongdoing. "I was the one who gave the phone to Pape Ibrahima Thiam. He's my childhood friend. He told me he needed a Tigo SIM card. Later, our friend Madiaye said he needed a phone. I told Ibrahima to give him the phone," he said before adding: "But I wasn't aware of Ibrahima Thiam's actions towards Mansour Diop," Ousmane Cissé reassured.
He continued: “I must clarify that he had filed a complaint against me over a 600,000 FCFA debt I owed him. I thought we were friends. He was the one handling my case. But I was disappointed. He gave me an ambulance for Ousmane Sonko's tour during his caravan in Casamance. But the vehicle was impounded for lack of insurance. Sometimes, he even drove for me himself. In reality, Mansour was investing and expecting something in return. I should point out that I don't know his family,” the defendant concluded.
His statements were dismissed out of hand by the plaintiff. “I didn’t frequent his home. We often saw each other at political events. It’s a lie for him to claim that I sometimes drove for him. In reality, we were supposed to go to Touba for a political event. He didn’t have a vehicle. I told him to come with me and some other people. I only went to his home once because he had invited me and another doctor for an iftar meal,” Dr. Mansour Diop explained.
The main defendant, Pape Ibrahima Thiam, admitted to all the charges, claiming he sent the messages to Mansour Diop with the aim of damaging his reputation. "I'm the one who sent the messages. I knew there was some tension between Mansour and Ousmane. Since I often talked with Ousmane, I decided to help him out. I don't have a high level of education, so I hired a professional writer who wrote the insulting messages for me," the jeweler confessed.
The judge asked him if he remembered the date. He replied no. Annoyed by the lawyers for the plaintiff during the interrogation, Ibrahima Thiam finally spilled the beans: "I just wanted to tarnish his image. That's why I bought the SIM card. Afterwards, I gave the phone to Ousmane who gave it to our friend Madiaye Thiam. The latter couldn't ask me for a favor because I had given him 100,000 FCFA the day before," he confessed.
Ousmane Cissé doubled down: “Mansour used to frequent my home. In fact, he once met Ndiaga Seck at my house during a ndogou (a traditional meal) that I had hosted for them. He even posted the pictures on Facebook. I have no interest in turning Ibrahima against him. They met at my house,” he asserted. His friend Madiaye Thiam was questioned as a witness. He confirmed that he had a problem with his phone and that he had confided in Ousmane Cissé, who gave him a Tecno brand phone. When asked if Ibrahima Thiam had given him 100,000 FCFA, the witness did not confirm this.
The lawyers for the plaintiffs are demanding 50 million in damages and interest.
In their closing arguments, the lawyers for the plaintiffs demonstrated the defendants' guilt. Attorney Mame Coumba Kane stated she was convinced that Mr. Ousmane Cissé should be convicted of non-public insults, violence, and assault. According to her, he was the one in possession of the phone. Attorney Arona Bass argued that the main defendant had never met Dr. Mansour Diop. Another defendant claimed to know nothing of the messages' content. "It's cowardly," he asserted, adding, "Ibrahima is an accomplice by proxy," the lawyer argued. His opinion was supported by Attorney Ndoumbé Wone. According to Attorney Bass, their client had not wanted to claim anything, but they took it upon themselves to demand 50 million CFA francs for all damages and losses combined.
The observations of the public prosecutor
“No crime is ever perfect. The scientific evidence has spoken. The charges against Pape Ibrahima Thiam are beyond doubt,” declared the prosecution. According to the prosecution, Ousmane Cissé provided his friend with the means to send these insulting messages to Mansour Diop. The prosecutor requested that the defendants be found guilty. He asked for a six-month prison sentence for each and a fine of 500,000 CFA francs.
The defense pleads not guilty…
On behalf of Ousmane Cissé, lawyers Khadim Kébé and Idrissa Cissé pleaded not guilty. "Ousmane Cissé did absolutely nothing. No offense can be attributed to him. He did not write these messages," they argued, requesting that the charges be dropped. Regarding Mr. Thiam, Mr. Kébé requested leniency in the application of the penal code.
The case is adjourned for deliberation until May 12, 2026.
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