Night terror in Thiès: 5 years imprisonment requested for the Jakarta motorcycle gang

Four men, B. Mbaye, A. Thiam, C. Tine, and M. Sène, appeared before the criminal court of the Thiès High Court on charges of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery committed at night using vehicles, and violence. They are accused of carrying out numerous nighttime attacks while riding Jakarta motorcycles, notably using machetes and clubs. A phone repairman, G. Seck, charged with receiving stolen goods, is also implicated in the case.

The events date back to the night of February 4-5, 2023, in Thiès. According to the investigation, the perpetrators targeted several people, robbing them of their cell phones after assaulting them. One of the victims, A. Sow, told investigators that he was intercepted by individuals riding Jakarta motorcycles and armed with machetes. Beaten and wounded with a machete, he was robbed of his phone before his attackers fled. A medical certificate included in the case file indicates a 15-day period of temporary incapacity for work.

Confessions to investigators, then retractions in court

During the preliminary investigation, B. Mbaye, a motorcycle taxi driver, admitted to participating in an assault that night. He explained that he was returning from a "thiant" (a traditional gathering) organized in the Cité Senghor neighborhood with his friend A. Thiam. Around 4:00 a.m., while crossing the Randoulène district, they intercepted a man walking by and robbed him of his phone. He also admitted to being arrested by the gendarmerie in possession of marijuana.

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The following day, B. Mbaye went to G. Seck's workshop in the Som district to have the device decoded, accompanied by his friend A. Thiam. But before the criminal court, he recanted his statements, claiming that he had been beaten by the gendarmes to force a confession from him.

His friend A. Thiam adopted the same line of defense. After admitting the facts to the investigators and the investigating judge, he claimed in court that he had been subjected to violence by the gendarmes, who allegedly forced him to make these statements.

C. Tine had also admitted his involvement in the attack during the investigation, stating that the group was armed with machetes and clubs. At the hearing, he denied everything, claiming he had been beaten by investigators. He maintained that his name had simply been mentioned by others, which had led to his arrest.

As for Mr. Sène, he had told investigators that the group had attacked a man and a woman in front of a bakery. But in court, he explained that he had confessed on the advice of his aunt, who had recommended he confess to avoid being sent to trial. He, too, denied any involvement. He had also been arrested in possession of marijuana.

The phone repairman is in the prosecutor's sights.

Charged with receiving stolen goods, G. Seck, a phone repairman under judicial supervision, attempted to distance himself from the accusations. He admitted to receiving an iPhone 11 Pro Max and a Samsung phone from B. Mbaye in order to unlock them.

According to his statement, B. Mbaye had told him that the Samsung had been purchased from a man named Idy. The defendant specified that his client had come to his workshop in Som around 9 p.m. and was supposed to pay him 70,000 FCFA for the work.

He did, however, acknowledge that the iPhone's wallpaper displayed a photograph of the victim, A. Sow. Despite this, he maintained that he had not suspected the devices were fraudulent, explaining that he knew B. Mbaye and had never heard of his involvement in theft. This, he added, was why he hadn't asked for his identification.

The prosecution is requesting five years' imprisonment for the four defendants.

In his closing arguments, the public prosecutor stated that the facts of the theft were perfectly established. He emphasized that B. Mbaye, the first person arrested, had enabled investigators to trace the group back to its other alleged members. According to the prosecution, the circumstances of a meeting, a nighttime operation, and the use of vehicles were also present. He further argued that the element of violence was also substantiated by A. Sow's medical certificate attesting to a 15-day period of incapacity for work.

The prosecution therefore asked the court to find B. Mbaye, A. Thiam, C. Tine, and M. Sène guilty of the criminal charges against them. It also requested the conviction of B. Mbaye and M. Sène for possession of marijuana.

Regarding the repairman G. Seck, the prosecutor argued that he could not have been unaware of the fraudulent origin of the phones entrusted to him. He requested five years' imprisonment for each of the four main defendants and three years' imprisonment for the repairman.

The defense denounces ten days of police custody

In response, the defense lawyers raised procedural objections, arguing that the proceedings were invalid. They denounced a violation of their clients' rights, noting in particular that the accused had spent ten days in police custody.

On the merits, the defense lawyers argued that the case lacked sufficient evidence to justify a conviction. They emphasized, in particular, the defendants' retractions during the hearing and their accusations of police brutality used to elicit confessions. They ultimately pleaded for their clients' acquittal.

The criminal chamber adjourned the case for deliberation until December 14, 2026.