Former Liverpool star El Hadji Diouf faces possible jail sentence over unpaid child support

Former Liverpool and Senegal forward El Hadji Diouf is reportedly facing a possible jail sentence after being accused of abandoning his family and failing to pay child maintenance.

According to reports from Dakar, Diouf’s ex-wife, Valerie Bishop, claims the retired striker has not paid her the £14,000 owed in child support since March last year.

The 44-year-old was ordered by the court to pay £670 monthly following their 2023 divorce, covering maintenance, school fees, and medical expenses for their 17-year-old daughter, Keyla.

Diouf, however, failed to appear at a court hearing held on Tuesday in Senegal’s capital, Dakar. Under Article 351 of the country’s penal code, refusal to pay child maintenance can result in a prison sentence.

Valerie’s lawyer, Mame Adama Gueye, insisted the former footballer has the means to settle his obligations but has chosen not to.

“El Hadji Diouf is fully solvent. He has the means to pay but refuses to do so. He leads a comfortable existence and divides his time between Dakar and Saly Portudal,” Gueye stated.

Diouf is expected to return to the high court in Dakar on December 5, where the case will continue.