The trial of Ousman Sonko, a former Gambian minister accused of crimes against humanity, has concluded in Switzerland with a defiant speech from the defendant, who alleged racism and lies by the plaintiffs.
Sonko, 55, served as interior minister under former dictator Yahya Jammeh, who ruled the West African nation with an iron fist for 22 years. He is charged with rape, torture and murder, either committed by himself or under his supervision, between 2000 and 2016.
He was arrested in Switzerland in 2017 after seeking asylum there, following a complaint filed by a Geneva-based human rights group, TRIAL International, using the principle of universal jurisdiction.
Universal jurisdiction allows countries to prosecute the most serious crimes regardless of where they were committed or the nationality of the perpetrators.
A landmark case for justice
The case is seen as a landmark for justice in The Gambia, where a truth commission is investigating the atrocities committed during Jammeh’s regime. Jammeh himself fled to Equatorial Guinea in 2017 after losing an election and refusing to step down.
Sonko’s trial, which began in January, is the first full trial of crimes against humanity in Switzerland. It is also the highest-ranking prosecution of a former Gambian official in Europe.
Eleven victims, or their survivors, have joined the civil case against Sonko, seeking compensation and recognition for their suffering. Some of them testified in court, describing horrific acts of violence and sexual abuse.
One of them, Binta Jamba, said she was raped multiple times by Sonko after he killed her husband. Another, Madi Ceesay, said he was tortured and electrocuted at a secret prison known as the “Bambadinka”, or the crocodile hole.
Sonko denies charges, claims racism
Sonko, however, denied the charges and claimed he was a victim of racism and colonialism. He said the plaintiffs lied to support the accusations against him and that he was abroad when some of the alleged crimes took place.
He also denounced his seven-year pre-trial detention, which he said affected his health and was part of a history of oppression by foreign powers.
“My country does not need expiatory victims immolated before foreign judges,” he said in his closing remarks on Thursday.
He also accused Switzerland of violating his rights and interfering in The Gambia’s internal affairs.
Verdict expected soon
The Swiss public prosecutor has requested a life sentence for Sonko, saying he was responsible for the systematic use of torture, rape and murder as part of Jammeh’s repressive policies.
Sonko’s lawyer has asked the court to drop the case, citing problems with the investigations and hearings. He also argued that some of the alleged crimes against humanity, including the rape charges, were not admissible under Swiss law.
The verdict is expected to be announced soon by the Swiss Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona.
Human rights activists hope that the trial will set a precedent for holding perpetrators of atrocities accountable and provide some closure for the victims.
“It has been a long period of waiting, waiting with anger, anxiety,” Ceesay told Reuters. “But I am very optimistic now and I feel so happy. I am smelling justice.”
Source: ReutersÂ
