Senegal ex-ruler's son accused of amassing fortune

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal's special prosecutor charged with investigating the embezzlement of state funds has asked the son of Senegal's ex-president to justify a fortune that he estimates is worth up to 694 billion West African francs, equal to more than $1.3 billion.

Karim Wade's lawyer told reporters his client is accused of owning companies in Senegal, as well as in Niger, Ghana, Jordan and Equatorial Guinea. Lawyer El Hadj Amadou Sall said Friday that his client is being unjustly accused.

Supporters of the former regime clashed briefly with police, who fired a few rounds of tear gas in front of the building where the proceedings were occurring. President Abdoulaye Wade was trounced in last year's election, and one of the opposition's rallying cries was, "Y en a marre," meaning, "We've had enough."