Senegalese trio acquitted in Vandenbroucke case

Three Senegalese people were acquitted on charges of theft by the regional court in Thiès, Senegal today. The trio had been accused of theft or as accomplices to theft of possessions belonging to the deceased Belgian cyclist Frank Vandenbroucke.

Vandenbroucke was found dead in a hotel room in Saly, Senegal on October 12 at age 34. Seynabou Diop, the woman who was with Vandenbroucke on the night of his death, Alassane Gaye and Mbaye Seck were accused of stealing two cell phones and a sum of cash from him, but denied the charges.

The three defendants have been in jail since October, but were never implicated in the death of Vandenbroucke.