Senegalese President Macky Sall on Wednesday said the government would find out if there is any truth behind a report that alleged that his brother Aliou Sall was involved in fraud related to two major offshore gas blocks operated by BP.
“I want the truth to be re-established and the government will do this now without delay,” President Sall said after attending prayers for the Eid-al-Fitr Muslim holiday at Dakar’s main mosque, reported Reuters.
The comments came after the BBC published a report that alleged that BP had agreed to pay Timis Corporation, a firm run by Romanian-Australian tycoon Frank Timis, about $10 billion in royalty payments for its stake in the two blocks.
The report said that the president’s brother had benefited from the gas sector dealings. On the basis of some documents, it claimed that a secret payment of $250,000 was made by Timis to Agritrans, a company run by the president’s brother Aliou Sall.
Aliou Sall denied the allegations at a press briefing on Monday and threatened to seek legal action against the BBC.
“Agritrans never received $250 000 from Timis,” Sall said. “The BBC’s allegations are completely false.”
Meanwhile, the British oil giant BP, which currently operates the blocks, said it “rejects any implication that it acted improperly in the acquisition of our interests in Senegal.”
On Wednesday, opposition leader Ousmane Sonko said the people of Senegal should demonstrate again against the scandals until the government takes some action.
“I call on Senegalese men and women, especially the sacrificed and forgotten youth, to mobilize massively and non-stop in the coming days in protest against all the scandals … until appropriate measures are taken,” he said in a statement.
