3.2 million FCFA handed over to a fake emissary: F. Niasse's first internship turns into a nightmare

What was supposed to be a stimulating first professional experience turned into a real legal ordeal for F. Niasse. Prosecuted for her role in handing over more than three million CFA francs to a con artist posing as an emissary, the student appeared before the Mbour High Court.

F. Niasse will certainly never forget the bitter taste of this first step into the world of work. In the dock of the Mbour High Court, ruling on matters of flagrant offenses, the student recounted the circumstances that led to her detention at the Mbour Remand and Correctional Facility (MAC), before obtaining provisional release.

The events took place while the young woman was finishing her internship at a local company. While she was alone in the office, an individual approached her, claiming to have been sent by the manager, Mr. Faye, to collect a large sum of money.

Finding nothing in the drawers where her manager usually kept cash, F. Niasse went to a neighboring shop. She told the shop manager, Pa Cissé, that her boss had sent her to collect the company funds that were deposited there.

Cautiously, the shopkeeper tried to contact Mr. Faye, but without success. The intern then reassured Pa Cissé, claiming that their superior had likely put his phone in airplane mode because of an interview he had given to journalists.

Reassured by these statements, Pa Cissé eventually handed over 3,255,000 FCFA to the intern, an amount previously entrusted to her by the director. F. Niasse maintains that she immediately gave the entire sum to the mysterious visitor, whose identity and contact information she does not know.

In court, the defendant became entangled in her explanations. When questioned about how she would repay the missing sum, F. Niasse irritably replied that she hadn't benefited from the money and refused to pay for a scam of which she claimed to be a victim. This stance was sharply rebuked by the presiding judge.

“That’s too easy. Whether you were duped or not, only God knows. But you are not without blame,” the magistrate retorted, pointing to blatant recklessness and serious professional misconduct. “You acted beyond your scope of practice. You made a mistake. You cannot absolve yourself of responsibility,” the judge insisted, reminding her that her civil liability was fully engaged.

The court also noted that the imposter's modus operandi demonstrated an intimate knowledge of the premises and the company's operating procedures. The presiding judge also urged the defendant's family to take action to compensate the victim, so that the shopkeeper would not be the only one to bear the brunt of this loss.

The victim suffers a double penalty

To add to the tragedy, fate dealt Pa Cissé another cruel blow. Leaving the courthouse after a previous hearing, the shopkeeper was violently struck by a motorcycle, suffering a double fracture. He appeared in court this Tuesday severely disabled and using crutches. The judge noted this tragic coincidence, emphasizing that without this incident, the shopkeeper would never have crossed paths with the motorcycle.

The public prosecutor has requested the application of the law. F. Niasse will learn his fate on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.