Ex-Minister Receives 20-Year Prison Sentence for Crimes Against Humanity.

By Caroline Ameh

A former Gambian interior minister, Ousman Sonko, has been handed a 20-year prison sentence by a Swiss court on Wednesday for his involvement in crimes against humanity during the regime of former President Yahya Jammeh.

Ousman Sonko sought asylum in Switzerland in 2016, shortly before Yahya Jammeh was ousted from power. His conviction comes after non-governmental organizations presented evidence of atrocities committed against political opponents of the former Gambian president.

The prosecutor stated that Mr. Sonko was found guilty of charges including killings, torture, and false imprisonment. Philip Grant, the executive director of Trial International, an NGO that played a key role in Mr. Sonko’s arrest, hailed the verdict as a strong message against impunity.

“This conviction sends a resounding message against impunity,” stated Philip Grant in response to the court’s decision.

During previous court hearings, Mr. Sonko’s defense argued that he was not directly responsible for the crimes committed during his tenure as interior minister.

Switzerland’s prosecution of the case was conducted under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which enables countries to prosecute individuals for crimes committed outside their borders.

Notably, Ousman Sonko’s case marks the first time a high-ranking government official has been prosecuted under this principle in Europe.

Former President Yahya Jammeh, currently residing in exile in Equatorial Guinea, has also faced accusations of human rights abuses during his rule in The Gambia.