Affaire Fonds Force Covid 19 : L’ancien DAGE du ministère des Mines et l’homme d’affaires Ibrahima Issa définitivement blanchis
The charges against the former Director General of Administration and Management (DAGE) at the Ministry of Mines and businessman Ibrahima Issa have been dropped. They were being prosecuted for embezzling 119.87 million CFA francs of public funds in the COVID-19 Relief Fund case and have now been definitively dismissed. According to Seneweb, the Indictment Chamber upheld the decision of the judge of the 3rd chamber of the Dakar court.
According to the court order, the Court of Auditors' report on the 2020 and 2021 management of the COVID-19 Response and Solidarity Fund, submitted to the Criminal Investigation Division (DIC) on February 7, 2023, identified several irregularities in the management of the funds. On pages 118 and 119, the financial magistrates noted the payment of 73.2 million CFA francs to the "Issa Group" for work related to the construction of a gravimetric treatment unit in Kédougou, even though this work had not been carried out.
At the time of the events, Alassane Diallo was the Director of General Administration and Equipment (DAGE) at the Ministry of Mines and Geology. Ibrahim Issa, for his part, headed the Issa Group.
Before investigators and then before the investigating judge, Alassane Diallo admitted to the payment. According to his explanation, the project aimed to establish a gravimetry center in Kédougou for the benefit of gold miners affected by the pandemic. The contract had been awarded to the Société Commerciale du Groupe Issa (SCGI). The necessary equipment had already been acquired for 119.87 million CFA francs, while the construction work was estimated at 73.2 million.
The main obstacle was the lack of available land. The DAGE (Directorate of Water and Sanitation) explained that it had unsuccessfully approached the governor of Kédougou to obtain a 1,000 m² plot. With the end of the fiscal year approaching, it then, according to its statements, obtained verbal authorization from its superiors to proceed with the payment in order to avoid losing the funds.
He did, however, acknowledge the irregular nature of the operation, since it had been carried out without any service being rendered.
Ibrahim Issa gave the same version of events. He claimed to have completed the first part of the contract, related to the acquisition of equipment, explaining that the work could not begin due to a lack of land. He acknowledged having received the remaining payment before the work commenced and stated his willingness to reimburse the 73.2 million in question.
The recovered equipment
However, the investigation revealed several elements favorable to the two accused.
Ibrahim Issa had produced a bailiff's report dated April 14, 2023, accompanied by photographs, attesting to the presence of some of the equipment, estimated at around 80 million CFA francs, at his home and at the headquarters of his company.
An invoice dated August 3, 2020, issued by the Chinese company HALA TRADING CO LIMITED, had also been added to the file.
Most importantly, following correspondence dated April 28, 2023 from the Director of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (DEMAPE), Ibrahim Issa indicated that he had transported the equipment to Kédougou on May 2 and 5, 2023. A delivery slip dated May 8, 2023 supported his statements.
Called as a witness, the former Minister of Mines and Geology, Aïssatou Sophie Gladima, confirmed the existence of the project and explained that the payment had been made, in her view, to "secure" the funds before the end of the fiscal year. She also stated that she did not know Ibrahim Issa personally and had received nothing in return.
The judge dismisses the fraudulent intent
In his dismissal order of June 29, 2026, the judge of the 3rd investigating chamber acknowledged that payment had been made without any service being rendered. However, the magistrate ruled that this element alone was insufficient to establish embezzlement of public funds. The judge based his decision, in particular, on the presence of the equipment, the documents produced by the Issa Group, and its shipment to Kédougou.
He also took into account the explanations regarding the unavailability of the site intended to house the center. For the investigating magistrate, these elements did not establish an intent to embezzle public funds. "It does not appear from the proceedings that the defendants intended to embezzle the sums in question," the ruling states. The magistrate thus considers that the mental element of the offense, namely the intent to embezzle public funds, was not established.
An order dated June 25, 2025, had also mandated the restitution to the State of 73.2 million CFA francs. Subsequently, the public prosecutor requested a reclassification of the charges and referral to the criminal court.
Seized of an appeal against the dismissal order, the Indictment Chamber of the Dakar Court of Appeal rendered judgment no. 279 on September 3, 2026. It declared the appeal admissible but, on the merits, upheld the dismissal order in its entirety. The request for restitution, however, was declared inadmissible. A certificate of no appeal was issued on September 14, 2026, by the registry of the Dakar Court of Appeal.
Alassane Diallo and Ibrahim Issa have been completely exonerated. Will this decision benefit former minister Aïssatou Sophie Gladima, whose trial opened on July 22, 2026, before the High Court of Justice, sitting at the Supreme Court? At the request of her lawyers, the judgment was postponed until after the recess. One of her lawyers, Michel Simel Basse, argued that it is legally problematic to try someone accused of complicity when the main alleged perpetrators, Ibrahima Issa and Alassane Diallo, have been cleared of all charges. The defense requested a postponement of the trial pending the outcome of the prosecution's appeal.
Doudou DIOP
Commentaires (27)
Vraiment SONKO vous a terrorisé !!!
Vous sélectionnez les commentaires défavorables à Sonko et les supprimez, tout en laissant passer ceux de certains militants de Pastef qui passent leur journée à insulter d'honnêtes citoyens .
Si cette modération à géométrie variable se poursuit, la presse dite '' indépendante '' a encore de beaux jours devant elle
Jamais la cours n'a parlé de détournement, elle parlait de manquement. Le rapport n a jamais parlé de détournement, c sonko qui y mis sa sale gueule, fenn rek
Il va payer tout çà
On parle souvent de fin de l exercice budgétaire alors que les exécutants n ont aucune maîtrise sur les procédures.
On impose un service fait alors que parfois, le service est fait mais l État ne paie pas. On parle aujourd'hui d environ 1000 milliards de dette intérieure.
Certaines entreprises, dans le domaine du carburant, exigent le paiement avant délivrance. C est une faute que beaucoup d administrateurs de crédit commettent, car sans cette faute, pas de carburant.
Il faut réformer l administration et les lois qui envoient rapidement les gens en prison.
Les mecs sortent/bouffent les cfa mais n'ont pas le terrain..
....
Un zoo de clowns affamés
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