Dakar, March 24 (IANS): Lawyers of Karim Wade, a former minister and son of Senegal's ex-president Abdoulaye Wade, sentenced to six years in prison for acquiring wealth illegally, have vowed to appeal the ruling.

"We are heading to the Supreme Court this (Tuesday) evening to file an appeal," Me Seydou Diagne, one of his lawyers, told media in Dakar.

Wade was sentenced on Monday to six years in prison and fined 138 billion CFA francs (about $230 million) by a special anti- corruption court.

He was facing charges of fraudulently acquiring wealth estimated to be over 117 billion CFA Francs.

One of his lawyers, Me Cire Cledor Ly, termed the court's verdict as the culmination of an "epilogue of legal comedy", Xinhua news agency reported.

Speaking at his home after the ruling, ex-Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade said he would meet with his supporters at a public rally in Dakar this Friday to give his views on this judicial decision.

"Be prepared for the battle," he told his supporters.

Commenting on the verdict, one of the state counsels, El Hadji Diouf, said the "sentence was lenient".

"For two hours, the anti-corruption court's president Henry Gregoire Diop read out irrefutable proof that justifies the sentence handed out to Karime Wade and his accomplices," Diouf told the media after the ruling was delivered.

His accomplices, Alioune Diasse and Bibo Bourgi, were sentenced to five years in prison and fined 138 billion CFA francs, while Pape Mamadou Pouye was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 68 billion CFA francs.