By our Correspondent
In what appears to be gender of intolerable gender abuse, in the political domain,
a court in Senegal, Monday, sentenced two politicians to six months in jail for assaulting a pregnant colleague during a brawl in parliament.
These two men, Massata Samb and Amadou Niang from the opposition PUR party, were also requested to pay a total fine of 5 million CFA francs ($8,200 or €7,600) in compensation to Amy Ndiaye, who is a member of the ruling Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition.
The female parliamentarian Mediate, was hospitalized after the incident and risked losing the baby. And her lawyer, Baboucar Cisse, said after the trial that she is now out of the hospital but remains in an “extremely painful” situation.
It was gathered that what happened to occasion the assault was not far-fetched.
The brawl was said to have broken out on December 1 during a budget debate in the National Assembly during which Samb had criticized Ndiaye.
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Preceding thereafter, in televised footage that shocked Senegal, Samb could be seen slapping Ndiaye after she scoffed at his remarks.
Feebly, Ndiaye responded by throwing a chair at Samb.
Many other lawmakers then pushed Ndiaye to the ground, after which she was kicked in the abdomen by Niang.
Sadly, despite footage of the attack being broadcast around the country, the two men denied the charges of assault and battery. One of their lawyers said they would appeal the ruling.
“They are going to remain in prison pending an appeal,” one of their lawyers, Abdy Nar Ndiaye, told reporters.
