Marabout arrested after taking €33,500 to guarantee Mali AFCON victory

A self-styled marabout, or traditional healer, who allegedly collected €33,500 after promising to secure Mali’s victory at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been arrested for fraud following the team’s elimination from the tournament.

Mali were knocked out of the competition on Friday after losing 1–0 to Senegal in the quarter-finals. Shortly after the defeat, anger erupted among supporters who had reportedly contributed money to the healer’s claims.

The suspect, identified as Mr Sinayogo, was said to have received more than 22 million CFA francs in donations from supporters, according to one of his associates. An enraged crowd later stormed his residence, prompting police to intervene and evacuate him to prevent violence.

Sinayogo was arrested on Saturday in the Malian capital, Bamako, and is currently being held by the cybercrime division on allegations of fraud. Two videographers who visited him confirmed his detention.

An official from the division told AFP that “charlatanism is punishable by law in Mali,” adding that authorities found it difficult to act earlier due to the heightened emotions surrounding the AFCON competition.

The suspect, who was previously known as a political activist, reportedly reinvented himself as a marabout shortly before the tournament. A social media content creator familiar with him claimed that he “proclaimed himself a marabout overnight and made a fortune” by exploiting public faith in Mali’s AFCON campaign.