The former Minister of Industrial Development and Small and Medium-Sized Industries appeared before the National Assembly's ad hoc committee this Friday. Before his parliamentary immunity was lifted (for the second time, following the Tabaski Ngom affair), Moustapha Diop defended himself regarding the procurement of anti-Covid masks entrusted to his ministry during the pandemic.

Facing his fellow MPs, Moustapha Diop initially contested the charges against him. "Everyone was paid, but we are only accused of having paid the money in cash. This is not a crime, but rather mismanagement that should have been adjudicated by the Financial Chamber of the Court of Auditors," he said, adding that no solid evidence had been presented to prove his guilt in this case.

Faced with the second lifting of his parliamentary immunity, the former minister became angry: "If you want, do as you did last time and withdraw my immunity. I don't care. You are hounding me over a matter of 2.5 billion CFA francs, which does not even represent 0.1% of the national budget, while there are other ministers who managed 500 billion. Where are they? Why are only four of us ministers in the dock? I will not accept being the sacrificial lamb!"