Senegal Confirms $200,000 Gift for IMF Official

The government of Senegal has confirmed it gave $200,000 to an International Monetary Fund official earlier this month. Alex Segura received the gift at the end of his three-year posting, although the IMF said it was paid back as quickly as possible once he had left the country. Senegal’s Prime Minister Souleymane Ndene Ndiaye, who previously denied the payment had been made, said such farewell presents are an African tradition. However, opposition activists have called it a corrupt payment. Anti-corruption campaigner Mamadou Mbodj said the case should be referred to the country’s High Court of Justice. He said Senegalese people want to know how an IMF official was allowed to leave the impoverished country with so much money.