The criminal chamber of the Thiès High Court has delivered its verdict in the case of rape and pedophilia involving a minor under 13 years of age and mason S. Yade. It reclassified the charges as rape and pedophilia, found the defendant guilty on these counts, and sentenced him to 5 years in prison.

This case was heard on Monday, March 9, 2026. S. Yade was accused of having had repeated sexual relations with his 13-year-old niece, B. Guèye, who became pregnant. These events took place in 2023 in Pout.

As a reminder, the young girl had been sent to live at the defendant's home to help take care of her aunt's children, who was suffering from mental disorders following the birth of her fifth child, and who was forced to return to her native village, to be with her parents.

It was in these circumstances that the accused abused the minor. The case came to light after the victim's pregnancy was discovered. When questioned about the perpetrator's identity, the young girl identified her uncle, S. Yade, whom she accused of repeated rapes. During the preliminary investigation, she stated that the accused had raped her three times in her bedroom. She maintained that she did not consent, but that she could not refuse for fear of being beaten by her rapist.

In court, S. Yade denied the rape charges, while admitting to having had sexual relations with the minor. According to him, the acts had taken place with the girl's consent.

“On the night of the events, I woke up to urinate. Seeing her in bed, the idea of having sexual relations with her came to me. I woke her up to make the proposition and she accepted. We had sexual relations three times,” the defendant stated.

The public prosecutor argued that the victim could not, under any circumstances, be considered to have consented, given that she was a minor and under the defendant's authority. Considering the acts of rape and pedophilia proven, the prosecution requested a sentence of 10 years' imprisonment.