Dakar Criminal Court: 20-year prison sentences requested for two burglars

The Criminal Chamber of the Dakar High Court tried Tamsir Cissé and Mr. Ndiaye yesterday, Tuesday, for burglary. The defendants are being prosecuted for criminal conspiracy, aggravated theft committed at night with breaking and entering, and use of a vehicle. The events date back to the night of May 23, 2024, at around 4:00 a.m.

Dakar urban security police officers on patrol were informed of a burglary in progress at a fabric shop located at the corner of Vincent Street and Abdou Karim Bourgi Street, belonging to the Chinese man Liu Bao.

Upon arrival, law enforcement officers discovered the shop's door had been forced open. T. Cissé and M. Ndiaye were apprehended as they attempted to flee in a taxi.

The analysis of surveillance camera footage and initial findings established that the shop's padlocks had been cut using a nail puller or an iron bar. The investigation also revealed T. Cissé's involvement in another nighttime burglary that occurred in January 2024 at Serigne Mayoro Dia's electronics store on Mass Diokhané Street, where laptops (MacBook, HP, Dell), phones, and cash were stolen.

In court, Mr. Ndiaye attempted to minimize his responsibility by offering a version of events quite different from his initial statements: “On the night in question, I had gone to buy dinner for my wife. I ran into T. Cissé, who told me he was going to the Albarka Hotel to see his girlfriend. I went with him . On the way, he told me the store wasn't closed and went inside. He came out with a crate full of fabric that he was dragging behind him. I simply helped him put it down on the sidewalk. It was at that precise moment that the police arrived,” he explained. This line of defense aimed to shift the blame for the planning and the break-in onto his co-defendant.

Regarding the theft at Mayoro Dia's shop, T. Cissé denied the allegations. Mayoro Dia claimed 8 million CFA francs in damages.

In his remarks, the public prosecutor emphasized the seriousness of the acts, denouncing the bad faith of the defendants who "are attempting to conceal their criminal record" to evade the severity of the justice system. Believing that the facts of conspiracy and armed robbery were amply established, he requested 20 years' imprisonment for the two defendants.

Lawyer Tafsir Abdoul Sy, for the defense of T. Cissé, pleaded for his client's acquittal for the theft committed in the electronics store, due to a lack of irrefutable evidence, according to him, and asked for a lenient application of the criminal law concerning the burglary of Liu Bao's shop, the merchandise of which has been returned.

Attorney Khady Sèye Diallo, representing T. Cissé, also pleaded for leniency from the court, citing the defendant's social circumstances. His colleague, Abou Abdoul Daf, representing Mr. Ndiaye, emphasized his client's minor role in the case and asked the court to consider mitigating circumstances.

The verdict will be delivered on December 1, 2026.