Senegal’s opposition leader gets suspended jail sentence

By BABACAR DIONE
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal’s main opposition leader has been given a six-month suspended prison sentence by an appeals court in the West African nation over a defamation case brought against him by a government minister. The court ruling on Monday prevents President Macky Sall’s most prominent political rival from running in next year’s presidential election. But the decision can be appealed again. Sonko was ordered to pay 200 million West African Francs ($336,000) in damages and interest by Judge Mamadou Cissé.