Adama Mbodj, 'The Facebook Hunter,' Behind Bars in Richard-Toll

In Richard-Toll, a northern Senegalese town where secrets travel fast along the river, a case unlike any before is shaking local quiet. Adama Mbodj, whom investigators already call 'the Facebook hunter,' was arrested by the local police station after a complaint filed by one S. Diop. He is accused of sexually harassing several men — a case that, by its method, reveals the new frontiers of predation in the digital age. According to initial reports from Libération, Mbodj reportedly confessed during questioning. He even admitted to using the same modus operandi with at least three other men, between Saint-Louis and Dakar. Investigators, upon examining his phone, discovered WhatsApp exchanges with explicit content, similar to those sent to the complainant. Repeated attempts at seduction, messages that leave little room for doubt. What strikes in this case is the targeting strategy. Mbodj, according to investigators, primarily targeted people from modest backgrounds. He approached them on Facebook, got their phone numbers, then engaged in private conversations. To gain their trust, he sent them small sums of money, claiming to help with food needs. A method that, while troubling, has not yet formally established the existence of sexual relations. The evidence, for now, is limited to discussions and attempts at approach. This case reminds us, if needed, that predation knows no borders — geographic, social, or gender. In Senegal, where digital solidarity is often celebrated, it also exposes the cracks in a space where economic vulnerability can be exploited. The investigation, led by the Richard-Toll police station, will determine if other victims hide in the shadow of deleted conversations. Meanwhile, the 'hunter' is in a cage, and the web holds its breath.