A court in Senegal has rejected a defense request to summon South African mining magnate Patrice Motsepe to testify in the ongoing trial of 18 individuals. The defendants are accused of taking hostages during a protest at a mine operated by the company Bassari Resources, which is part of Motsepe's African Rainbow Minerals group.
The incident, which led to the charges, occurred in 2023 when protesters, including artisanal miners, entered the site of the Makabingui gold mine in eastern Senegal. They demanded compensation and formal employment, leading to a standoff where company staff were reportedly held.
The trial, taking place in the court of Kédougou, continues with the "hostage-taking" charges central to the proceedings. The defense sought Motsepe's testimony to discuss the company's social responsibilities, but the court deemed the request irrelevant to the criminal charges at hand.
This case highlights ongoing tensions in Senegal's mining regions between local communities, artisanal miners, and large-scale international mining operations over land rights and economic benefits.
