F. Sané, a Sonaged employee who lost his legs in a terrible accident, appeared in court in Dakar on Wednesday. Moving with difficulty on crutches, he faced SD Ndaw, the motorcyclist responsible for the tragedy that shattered his life.

The events, reported by the national daily newspaper Le Soleil, date back more than 14 months. On November 14, around 4:00 a.m., while working near a garbage dump in Kër Yoff, F. Sané was violently struck by SD Ndaw's motorcycle. The impact threw him under a truck. Upon waking up in the hospital, the diagnosis was unequivocal: both his legs would have to be amputated.

The defendant, a freight forwarder, prosecuted for driving without a license, driving without insurance, and causing unintentional injuries resulting in a 60-day temporary incapacity for work followed by a permanent disability, as well as endangering the lives of others, pleaded total amnesia. Having himself fallen into a coma for two days after the collision, he claimed to be unaware of the exact circumstances of the accident. His lawyer asked the court for leniency, emphasizing that his client could have suffered the same fate as the victim.

Despite a permanent disability and a 60-day work incapacity, F. Sané held the courtroom spellbound. When questioned about his claims for damages, he simply stated, "I forgive him. I'm not asking for anything." The judge praised this inner strength, commenting, "Yalla maynala" (God has given you strength).

The court ultimately acquitted SD Ndaw of the charge of endangering the lives of others. However, he was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, suspended, and fined 100,000 FCFA for the other offenses. In accordance with the victim's wishes, the court acknowledged the withdrawal of the civil suit, thus ending all financial proceedings.