An employee at a beauty salon accused Usman Sanko of rape last month.

He was summoned for questioning after his parliamentary immunity was removed last week.

Former tax inspectors Sankoh, who enjoys significant support among younger Senegalese, has denied the allegation.

He accuses President Macky Sall is government of stirring up the charge to undermine his strongest rival.

What is going on is nothing more than a project to wipe out our democracy every time a dictatorship has been allowed to settle and prosper.

It is because an overwhelming majority of the people abdicated before a tiny minority which played on their fears.

Nothing can resist the will encourage of people.

Sankoh supporters burned tires and threw rocks at riot police near his house who responded with tear gas.

A Reuters reporter saw two injured protesters, one of whom was bleeding from the head right.

Sankoh's lawyer also said he was accused of disturbing public order and participating in a band demonstration.

The police were not immediately available for comments.

Other top rivals of SAL have been targeted by criminal charges in the past, but he denies there has been any political interference in those cases.