Attempted bribery at the Joal brigade: 2 million CFA francs on the commander's table to smuggle a migrant pirogue across the border; two organizers arrested.

They thought they could buy the complicity of the commander of the Joal territorial brigade. They were arrested on the spot. Mr. Diallo and B. Faye, two suspected organizers of an illegal voyage, deposited two million CFA francs on the officer's desk so that their pirogue could reach Spain without being intercepted by the defense and security forces. They were unaware that the commander, who had feigned interest in their plan, was actually trying to gather the evidence necessary for their arrest. The operation, conducted by the Joal brigade, under the Mbour gendarmerie company, resulted in the seizure of a pirogue and jerrycans of gasoline, as well as the arrest of nine would-be migrants.

This case comes amid a crackdown on irregular migration, marked by a recent surge in interceptions of migrant boats. Mr. Diallo, a native of Saint-Louis, reportedly left his region to travel to Joal and organize a clandestine sea voyage. He was accompanied by B. Faye, who allegedly drove him to the Joal gendarmerie brigade. Faye believed he could bribe the commander to ensure the journey proceeded without police intervention.

Since the previous Monday, the two men had been recruiting candidates and housing them in two separate houses in the city. At the same time, they kept the brigade informed of the progress of their preparations: completion of recruitment, collection of the candidates' financial contributions, and acquisition of the equipment necessary for the crossing.

A first attempt, on the evening of November 2nd

On November 2nd, around 10 p.m., Mr. Diallo and B. Faye arrived at the police station with 2 million CFA francs, which they intended to hand over to the commander, in a clear attempt at bribery. They were not received and were told to continue their final preparations.

To materially establish the facts and gather the evidence necessary for their arrest, the commander had hinted to them that he wanted to see the equipment intended for the trip first before providing them with any assistance.

The following day, November 3rd, around 4 p.m. , the two men returned to the brigade. The commander had a gendarme escort them, tasked with identifying the pirogue intended for the crossing. Once the vessel was located, the two men and the gendarme returned to the brigade. It was at this point that Mr. Diallo, presented as the main organizer of the trip, took out the 2 million CFA francs and placed them on the commander's table.

According to our sources close to the court, he had lost faith in the possibility of sailing his pirogue from Joal without being intercepted on the coast or at sea. He was therefore seeking to secure the brigade's cooperation by offering this sum to the commander.

The chief gendarme allowed him to count and deposit the entire sum, thus demonstrating the attempted bribery. He then clearly stated that gendarmes could not be bribed, their mission being to ensure the safety of citizens and uphold the laws and regulations in force. He added that such behavior was contrary to the honor and values of the national gendarmerie. Mr. Diallo and B. Faye were then arrested.

Pirogue seized, nine candidates arrested

A team from the brigade then went to the beach in the Santhie 3 district to seize the identified pirogue. The gendarmes also visited the various accommodations used by the organizers, where they removed the migrants and brought them to the station. Gasoline jerrycans were also seized. A sum of 210,000 CFA francs was also found in Mr. Diallo's possession. Nine individuals attempting to emigrate illegally were apprehended.

At the end of the investigation, the two suspects were presented to prosecutor Augustin Yakhar Faye, head of the Mbour prosecutor's office.