EDK-SENSTOCK: 38 defendants acquitted in the fuel billions case

A dramatic turn of events in the SENSTOCK fuel theft case! On October 20, 2026, the Dakar Criminal Court acquitted all 38 defendants accused of crimes against EDK Oil SA. Video evidence, police reports, and the court's request for five-year prison sentences failed to sway the prosecution. EDK Oil SA and SENSTOCK, which had joined the case as civil parties, had their claims for damages dismissed as unfounded. The public erupted in cheers when the verdict was announced.

The case was opened in September 2024 following a complaint filed by EDK Oil SA and Transport Routier Express (TRE). The underlying issue was suspicion of fraudulent fuel theft from SENSTOCK facilities. Initially, more than 40 people were prosecuted, but three were later cleared of all charges.

Videos, disputed confessions, and a five-year sentence requested

During the special hearing on July 17, some thirty videos were shown to the judges. The footage depicted several people siphoning liquid from tanker trucks before transferring it into 20-liter containers through a wall. For the plaintiffs, this footage constituted the centerpiece of an organized scheme.

In court, several drivers admitted to being seen in the videos but denied any intention of stealing. They defended themselves by claiming they were purging water mixed with fuel as part of routine transport operations. Others disputed the statements recorded in the investigation reports, asserting that their words had been distorted or that they had been pressured into incriminating their colleagues.

The security guards being prosecuted also denied the accusations of complicity. The defense, led by lawyers Maguette Yade, Takha Cissé, Mame Thiaba Ba, Abdoul Daf, Baba Diop, and others, challenged the reliability and conditions under which the images were collected. The lawyers denounced the proceedings as a fabrication. The defense also mentioned a labor dispute with the employer, linked to union demands from some workers.

The civil party did not give up. Defended by lawyers Baboucar Cissé, Saer Lo Thiam, Mamadou Lamine Ba, Abdourahmane Sow Lénine and Sayba Danfakha, the company EDK Oil SA claimed 5 billion FCFA in damages, claiming to have suffered a loss of more than 2 billion FCFA between 2021 and 2024.

The prosecution, for its part, considered that the videos, police reports, and statements gathered established the existence of an organized system. It had requested five-year prison sentences for the defendants.