Duel judiciaire entre Paulette Rita Badiane et le service du Pr Seydi : Le médecin réclame 300 millions à la Tik-tokeuse
The Dakar criminal court heard the case on Wednesday against Paulette Rita Xavière Badiane, who was being prosecuted for defamation against a public administration following comments she made on the social media platform TikTok targeting the infectious and tropical diseases department of Fann Hospital. According to the prosecution, the teacher and intercultural mediator for migration had, during a live broadcast, accused the intensive care unit of the department, headed by Professor Moussa Seydi, of committing a medical error that led to the death of her mother-in-law.
In court, Paulette Rita Xavière Badiane did not deny her statements. She explained that she spoke out after learning that her mother-in-law was complaining of chest pains. "I heard my mother-in-law say on the phone that she had chest pains. My cousin told me that a doctor apologized for giving her medication by mistake," she maintained. The defendant also stated that she reacted after the Pulse website published the story, saying she made a post and went live to give her side of the story and urge Senegalese people "not to believe the hospital's version."
The plaintiff is claiming 300 million FCFA
Professor Moussa Seydi, head of the infectious diseases department at Fann Hospital, who has filed a civil suit, believes these accusations seriously damage the hospital's reputation. His lawyer, El Hadji Diouf, denounced the statements as serious and unfounded. "She's an activist for Ousmane Sonko, that's why she thinks she can get away with anything," he declared, before demanding 300 million CFA francs in damages. His colleague, El Hadji Amadou Sall, for his part, asserted that the defendant had told "lies."
In his closing arguments, the public prosecutor argued that the offense had been committed. "She accuses a public service of causing the death of a patient. The dissemination of information is established, and the intention to damage the honor and credibility of the service is evident from her statements," he maintained. Considering the remarks to reflect "bad faith," the prosecution requested a six-month suspended sentence and a fine of one million CFA francs.
The defense rejects Professor Seydi's constitution
For the defense, attorney Sayba Danfakha contested any intent to harm. "There was never any intention to discredit the department's operations. No firm intent to harm has been established," he argued. His colleague, attorney Moussa Sarr, raised an objection regarding the plaintiff's standing to sue. According to him, Professor Seydi was not entitled to file a civil suit.
“The head of the department does not have the legal authority to file a complaint. That is the responsibility of the director of Fann Hospital. The hospital gave Professor Seydi no mandate,” he argued, maintaining that in the absence of a complaint from the hospital, the defamation claim cannot be upheld. Mr. Sarr also emphasized that no administrative report formally confirms the absence of medical error.
In response, Mr. El Hadji Amadou Sall invoked the Barbier Code on media law. The prosecutor, for his part, cited Article 373. Mr. Moussa Sarr returned to the attack, noting a confusion on the part of the plaintiff and clarifying that he, for his part, was referring to Article 620.
The court adjourned the case for deliberation until March 25, 2026.
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