Senegal opposition leader found guilty of libel

A leading Senegalese opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, has been found guilty of libel and handed a two-month suspended jail sentence.

Sonko was charged with libel after accusing the country’s Tourism Minister Mame Mbaye Niang of embezzlement.

Protests broke out across the capital, Dakar, ahead of the trial.

Sonko’s lawyers say the sentence is not expected to prevent him from running in the presidential elections next year.

He had previously denied the charges and said they were a tactic to eliminate him from the race.