Karim Wade to appeal ruling by Senegal's anti-corruption court

Lawyers of Karim Wade, a former minister and son of Senegal's ex-president Abdoulaye Wade, sentenced on Monday to six years in prison for acquiring wealth illegally, have vowed to appeal the ruling.

"We are heading to the Supreme Court this evening to file an appeal," Me Seydou Diagne, one of his lawyers, told the media in Dakar.

Wade was sentenced to six years in prison and fined 138 billion CFA Francs (about 230 million U.S. dollars) by a special anti- corruption court.

He was facing charges of fraudulently acquiring wealth estimated to be over 117 billion CFA Francs.

One of his other lawyer, Me Cire Cledor Ly, termed the court's verdict as the culmination of an "epilogue of legal comedy."

Speaking at his home after the ruling, ex-Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade said he will meet with his supporters at a public rally in Dakar this Friday to give his views on this judicial decision.

"Be prepared for the battle," he told his supporters.

Commenting on the verdict, one of the state counsels El Hadji Diouf said the "sentence was lenient."

"For two hours, the anti-corruption court's president Henry Gregoire Diop read out irrefutable proof that justifies the sentence handed out to Karime Wade and his accomplices," Diouf told the media after the ruling was delivered.

His accomplices who included Alioune Diasse and Bibo Bourgi were sentenced to five years in prison and fined 138 billion CFA Francs, while Pape Mamadou Pouye was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 68 billion CFA Francs. Endi