It’s E. J. What? Sarr, a stagiaire at the Bank of Africa (BOA) in Mbao, faces a year in prison. He was found guilty on Monday of embezzling 16,624 million CFA francs, a sum he admitted to having bet on the 1xBet sports betting platform. According to the story of L’Observateur, who attended the hearing, the case began with what the defendant calls “negligence”. After having lost 2.9 million entrusted by a client, he attempted to “repair” by fraudulently accessing the banking system, modifying the coordinates of a client, K. Guèye, with his own, to effect successive transfers to a complicit account, thereby diverting an additional 14 million. The original trust money had disappeared from a drawer in the absence of the director. Paniqué, Sarr conceived this fraudulent plan to cover his fault.. Before the Tribunal des flagrants délits de Pikine-Guédiawaye, the BOA’s lawyer, repris par la même source, underlined the serious prejudice suffered, obliging the Mbao agency to reimburse the injured clients. Le Procureur has requested a prison sentence, insisting on the full and entire responsibility of the accused. The defence, pleading for clemency, presented the accused as a brilliant but ill young man, an only son, a victim of gambling addiction, and asked for a chance of redemption. The Tribunal will render its delibéré on 8 July next, reports L’Observateur.
BOA Mbao: more than 16 million CFA francs in circulation
