AEE Power EPC refuses further questioning in Dakar, cites Spanish investigation

AEE Power EPC’s defence has said it is refusing to submit certain company executives to further questioning in Dakar. Its lawyer, Me Patrice Kabou, believes the matters concerned overlap with those of a judicial investigation opened in Spain.

According to the defence, Fernando Pablo, Fernando Sanchez and José González are covered by this position. In correspondence sent to investigators from the Colobane gendarmerie’s Research Section, the lawyer invoked the confidentiality of the Spanish investigation. He believes questioning in Senegal could concern matters being examined in Madrid, and argues that the same person cannot both be targeted and heard as a witness over the same facts.

An electrification project at the heart of the case

The case concerns ASER’s rural electrification programme for 928 localities. According to the reported information, an advance payment of €56 million had been made to AEE Power EPC although work had not begun. AEE Power Sénégal, which was due to act as a subcontractor, was seeking a share of that advance.

A note attributed to former Energy Minister Birame Souleye Diop referred to obstacles in implementing the programme, as well as the issue of how the funds were used. For his part, José Ángel González Tausz, presented as the head of AEE Power EPC, says the company has fulfilled all its commitments and is defending Jean-Michel Sène in the case.

The project had been suspended for nearly a year and a half by decision of ARCOP. That suspension was subsequently deemed illegitimate by the Supreme Court, according to available information.

A judicial investigation opened in Dakar

Following the conclusion of the preliminary investigation in Senegal, a judicial investigation was opened in Dakar. A letter rogatory was also sent to Spain to obtain documents from the Spanish judicial authorities.

The chairman of AEE Power EPC’s Board of Directors had previously been questioned as a witness by investigators on 4 and 12 August 2026. Documents were handed over to investigators at that time.

Proceedings also brought against Thierno Alassane Sall

The defence says it is maintaining the proceedings initiated in Senegal against MP Thierno Alassane Sall. Me Patrice Kabou has filed a complaint for disseminating false news, defamation and the fraudulent acquisition of bank documents. The MP had said he possessed bank statements originating from the Spanish courts and referred to the disappearance of nearly CFA francs 30 billion in the case involving ASER’s CFA francs 37 billion.

AEE Power EPC intends to pursue its actions before Senegalese courts over the acts it attributes to the MP in Senegal, while maintaining that matters covered by the Spanish investigation should fall under the proceedings being conducted in Madrid.