Senegal opposition politician Sonko sentenced to two-month suspended prison sentence for libel - lawyer

"The verdict is the sentencing of Ousmane Sonko to two month with suspension and to pay 200 million CFA francs ($332,000)," Diouf told Reuters. The libel trial, and another separate case in which Sonko is charged with sexual abuse, have spurred violent protests across the country.

A leading opposition politician in Senegal, Ousmane Sonko, on Thursday received a two-month suspended prison sentence for libel in a case involving the tourism minister, the minister's lawyer El Hadji Diouf said.

The sentence will not prevent him from running in presidential elections next year, another lawyer also representing the tourism minister told Reuters. There was no immediate statement from Sonko's team.

Sonko was charged with libel for accusing the tourism minister of embezzlement. He denied wrongdoing and previously said the charges against him were a tactic to eliminate him from the presidential race. "The verdict is the sentencing of Ousmane Sonko to two month with suspension and to pay 200 million CFA francs ($332,000)," Diouf told Reuters.

The libel trial, and another separate case in which Sonko is charged with sexual abuse, have spurred violent protests across the country. Sonko has also denied wrongdoing in the sexual abuse case. ($1 = 602.0000 CFA francs)

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