A press officer at Dakar City Hall sent to prison for abusing his 6-year-old grandson

Behind the walls of a rented room on the ground floor of a four-story building in Keur Massar, a family tragedy unfolded, the victim of which was none other than a six-year-old child. The man who was supposed to protect and care for him, his own grandfather, is accused of assault. According to Seneweb, he is being prosecuted for assault and battery against a minor under 15 years of age by a person in a position of authority, and for endangering the life of another.

The case came to light following an anonymous tip received on November 4th by the Urban Security Unit of the central police station in Dakar. An individual, who preferred to remain anonymous, alerted the police to alleged physical abuse of a 6-year-old child living in Keur Massar.

Dispatched to the scene, investigators from the juvenile protection unit encountered resistance from the suspect, BB Diallo. The police refused to open the door, demanding a search warrant or an arrest warrant before allowing them entry. He finally agreed to cooperate after three individuals arrived at the scene. A neighborhood inquiry revealed information indicating that young Modou (a pseudonym) had regularly suffered corporal punishment at the hands of his grandfather.

"My grandfather hit me with a stick and a belt."

But it is above all the testimony of the little boy, conducted in the presence of his biological mother, that gives this case its full tragic dimension. Facing the investigators, the child gave a testimony as brief as it was poignant: "My grandfather hit me," he stated. Asked to specify the objects used, he mentioned "a stick and sometimes a belt." He also indicated that the blows were delivered to his back. When asked how many times his grandfather had hit him, the child held up four fingers of his left hand.

Even more disturbing, when an investigator asked him if he had ever been hit so hard that his eye hurt, the little boy answered in the affirmative. "Yes, it was the day before yesterday," he said.

The grandfather admits to the beatings, but speaks of discipline.

Heard on November 5th, BB Diallo, 42, admitted to hitting his grandson, while denying the abuse charges. A press officer at Dakar City Hall, divorced and father of four, he explained that he had taken in his daughter AM Diallo and his grandson after the biological father refused to acknowledge the child.

According to his statements, the boy previously lived with his great-grandparents in Tambacounda. Believing his upbringing was unsuitable, he decided to bring him back to Dakar, while his daughter had found work in Mbour. The grandfather maintains that he wanted to instill good values in the child. "Although this required hitting him a few times to correct him, I refuse to consider it abuse," he told investigators.

He also recounted an incident that occurred last August. According to his version of events, his grandson allegedly led a three-year-old girl into the bathroom at a friend's house before touching her private parts. Upon learning of the incident, he claims he hit the child with a belt to discipline him and understand the reason for his behavior.

He did, however, admit to causing scratches on the boy's body. "When I hit him with my belt, I realized I had scratched him and I immediately stopped before taking him to the hospital for minor treatment," he explained, specifying that the incident occurred in August.

BB Diallo also denied the mistreatment allegations and suspected his landlord, F. Dione, of being behind the complaint. He claims that she is trying to harm him following a dispute related to eviction proceedings.

Despite his denials, the suspect was taken into custody on November 5 at 7:30 p.m. Brought before the Dakar prosecutor's office on November 10, he was remanded in custody the same day for assault and battery of a minor under 15 years of age by a person in a position of authority and endangering the life of another. He is scheduled to appear this Friday, November 13, before the Pikine-Guédiawaye court for flagrant offenses.