El Hadji Diouf is facing the prospect of jail time after claims that he abandoned his family. The former Liverpool striker has been in trouble with the law before, and looks to have landed himself in it yet again.
According to reports in The Sun, Diouf has been accused by his ex-wife of not paying her £14,000 in child maintenance fees. The 44-year-old was due to appear at a court hearing in Senegal's capital, Dakar, on Tuesday, but failed to show up.
After divorcing his wife, Valerie Bishop, in 2023, Diouf was ordered to pay £670 in monthly child support for their daughter Keyla, as well as school fees and medical bills for the 17-year-old. However, the Bishop claims that Diouf failed to pay up since March 2024 and now owes a sum that's around £14,000.
El Hadji Diouf Risks Prison Time
El Hadji Diouf and Jamie Carragher
The severity of Diouf's conduct could land him in serious trouble. Laws in Senegal mean that a refusal to pay maintenance can result in a prison sentence under Article 351 of the West African country's penal code.
Valerie’s lawyer, Mame Adama Gueye, said: “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.”
Diouf is due back in the high court in Dakar on December 5.
Diouf Was The Ultimate Premier League Bad Boy
El Hadji Diouf
The now-retired star was infamous for being a bad boy during his time in the Premier League. Diouf signed for Liverpool in the summer of 2002 for a fee of £10million following a string of impressive displays for Senegal at the World Cup.
After scoring six goals in 80 appearances, the forward joined Bolton Wanderers on an initial loan deal before moving to Lancashire on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee. It was there that he scored 24 goals and provided 18 assists in 136 matches before going on to join Sunderland, Blackburn and Rangers.
After being convicted of driving without a licence in France, his move to England saw him build an unwanted reputation for spitting at fans and players, including Portsmouth's Arjan de Zeeuw. He was also arrested and charged for motoring offences, while also being granted bail for his part in a brawl in a Manchester nightclub.