One of Senegal’s most popular politicians has been jailed on charges of fraud which his supporters claimed are politically motivated.
Khalifa Sall, mayor of the capital Dakar, was sentenced to five years in prison for embezzling $3.4m (£2.4m), the BBC reports.
His conviction bars him from next year’s elections, when he had been expected to present a strong challenge to President Macky Sall.
The convicted mayor is not a relation of the President.
Senegal is one of the most stable democracies in West Africa.
It is the only country on mainland West Africa never to have had a military coup.
It has seen two peaceful transfers of power following elections, most recently in 2012, when Macky Sall became president.
Khalifa Sall, 62, was arrested last year and successfully stood for parliament even though he was in detention at the time.
His parliamentary immunity was lifted so he could stand trial.
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