Three young women who stole 500 euros from a nightclub end their night out in court.

A festive evening ended behind bars. Mb. Gueye (22 years old, mother of one child), B. Mendy (21 years old) and A. Sy (a high school senior) were brought before the criminal court for acts of robbery in a group, violence and assault committed against S. Faye.

The events date back to the night in question, at the King Karaoke establishment. According to the reconstruction presented in court by the presiding judge, B. Mendy fell to the floor while dancing, knocking over bottles and glasses that were on S. Faye's table. A heated argument immediately broke out between the two women, before A. Sy intervened. Ejected from the nightclub by security, the three friends left to find another establishment.

It was after this incident that S. Faye noticed her handbag was missing; it contained 500 euros (approximately 328,000 FCFA). Alerted, the bouncers called the police. The three women were apprehended a short time later near the Artisan Village. The complainant's bag was then on Mb. Gueye's shoulders, but the 500 euros were not found at the scene.

In court, Mb. Gueye initially claimed that a stranger had entrusted her with the bag. Pressed by the judge's questions, she eventually confessed and apologized, while exonerating her two co-defendants: "My friends were absolutely unaware of my actions," she maintained.

During the proceedings, the presiding judge mentioned a possible well-rehearsed modus operandi aimed at creating chaos in order to rob customers. The prosecution, for its part, requested the strict application of the law.

Speaking in defense of A. Sy, Me Abdoulaye Tall firmly denied any prior collusion between the young women: "There was no pre-established agreement. These were young women who were simply living their youth. Nothing in the file proves my client's active participation in the theft," argued the lawyer, requesting an extremely lenient application of the law for the entire trio.

Delivering its verdict, the court found the three defendants guilty. A. Sy and B. Mendy were sentenced to three months' imprisonment, suspended. As for the main defendant, Mb. Gueye, she received a two-year prison sentence, with one month to be served.

In delivering the verdict, the judge made a point of issuing a final warning to the defendants: "This is a warning sentence for all three of you."