Former Senegal president’s son awaits ruling

Judges in Senegal are due to rule on the fate of former president Abdoulaye Wade’s son Karim, detained for a year on corruption charges after accumulating a fortune worth more than $1bn.

The anti-corruption court in the capital Dakar was expected on Thursday to announce whether it intended to dismiss the case, order that the younger Wade be tried, or extend his detention for a further six months, the AFP news agency reported.

“Within 48 hours we will know if the trial will take place or not,” Sidiki Kaba, the justice minister, told politicians on Tuesday.

Wade, who held a number of cabinet posts during his father’s presidency, was initially remanded in custody on April 17 last year.

He is alleged to have acquired by corrupt means companies and property valued at $1.4bn, including land across Dakar, a fleet of luxury cars, and a number of companies operating across Africa, including media and finance firms, according to AFP.

Under Senegalese law, investigators would normally have had a maximum of six months to investigate the 45-year-old before sending him to trial or dismissing the case. Aljazeera