FORMER Rangers striker El Hadji Diouf is facing a prison sentence after being accused of abandoning his family.
Diouf, 44, has been dragged before the high court in his Senegal homeland by his former wife Valerie Bishop.
After the couple divorced in 2023, the retired footballer was ordered to pay £670 monthly child support for their daughter Keyla, 17, as well as school fees and medical bills.
However Valerie claims Diouf has failed to pay up since March 2024, and now owes her around £14,000.
Tough laws in Senegal mean a refusal to pay maintenance can result in jail sentences under Article 351 of Senegal’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.
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“He leads a comfortable existence, and divides his time between Dakar and Saly Portudal.”
Diouf failed to appear for a hearing on Tuesday in Senegal’s capital Dakar, but faces a new court date on December 5.
He played for Rangers on a loan from Blackburn Rovers during the 2010/11 season and was notorious for fiery clashes with then Celtic captain Scott Brown but scored just two goals for the Ibrox side.
Diouf did however help the Gers to the SPL title.
His big break came when he signed for Liverpool in 2002 in a £10million deal from French club Lens.
But he scored just six goals in 80 games across three seasons.
He left for Bolton in 2005 and went on to play for Sunderland, Blackburn, Doncaster and Leeds before ending his playing career in Malaysia a decade ago.
During his time in the Premier League he was a controversial character and was involved in spitting incidents.
In September 2003, he was fined £5,000 at Glasgow’s Sheriff Court for spitting on a Celtic supporter during a Uefa Cup quarter-final with Liverpool.
In November 2005, he pleaded guilty to reckless behaviour at Teesside magistrates court when an 11-year-old fan claimed he had been hit by juice the player had spat from his mouth in a match at Middlesbrough’s ground.
He also had long-running feuds with former Anfield clubmates Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.
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