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Senegal president pardons Khalifa Sall, ex-mayor of Dakar

Senegal’s President Macky Sall has pardoned former Dakar mayor and political rival Khalifa Sall, who had been sentenced to prison for fraudulent use of public funds, the presidency announced Sunday.
Khalifa Sall, no relation of the president, has been in jail since March 2017 and was sentenced to five years in prison in August 2018.
He was therefore barred from taking part in the presidential election in February.
Khalifa Sall emerged from prison a few hours after the pardon was announced to be greeted by a crowd of supporters.
Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, witnesses and local media said.
The president has “totally annulled his sentences,” said a presidential decree made public on Sunday. Two of his co-accused were also pardoned.
Khalifa Sall, 63, served as Dakar mayor from 2009 till 2018 when the president removed him from office.
“I thank the head of state (Macky Sall) who had promised me this release,” said Sowam Wardini, who took over as Dakar mayor from Khalifa Sall.
“Khalifa Sall is returning to his family today,” he added.
Khalifa Sall was elected to parliament in 2017 but never got the chance to take his seat.
A popular politician, he has always believed that the case brought against him was a political move to prevent him from standing in this year’s presidential election against Macky Sall, who has been in power since 2012. That claim is denied by officials.
Several religious leaders have recently called for more discussion and less conflict in the country’s political life.
Former minister Karim Wade, son of Macky Sall’s predecessor as president Abdoulaye Wade (2000-12), is another one who was prevented for standing for the presidency because of a fraud case.
He was jailed for six years in 2015 after having been detained for two years, and handed a fine.
After a three year stint in prison he was handed a presidential pardon in June 2016.
However the constitutional court rejected his presidential election candidacy due to that conviction.
Serigne Mountakha Mbacke, head of the Sufi Mouride Brotherhood, one of the most influential Muslim orders in Senegal, was the instigator of a reconciliatory meeting on Friday between President Sall and Abdoulaye Wade.
Religious leaders have a lot of influence in a country where over 90 percent of people are Muslims.
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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