Former Gambia Minister Ousman Sonko on trial for crimes against humanity • FRANCE 24 English

now a court in Switzerland is set to today hand down its verdict against the former gambian interior Minister Usman Sonona he’s accused of committing various crimes against humanity under the regime of the former dictator Yaya Jam during his trial of the start of the year the federal prosecutor’s office requested life imprisonment for Sono the defense pleads AC quitt even claiming financial compensation for the years he spent in custody well we’re going to cross then to Daka talk to our West Africa corres Sam bradie who joins us from there Sam first of all just remind us then of exactly what sonko is accused of and who he actually is well it’s important to put this in context during the nearly two decade dictatorship of Yaya Jam hundreds of gambians were killed tortured and forcibly disappeared many of them also raped or otherwise uh sexually assaulted for much of this dictatorship sonko served as J right-hand man as his interior Minister effectively overseeing the country’s security apparatus including a notorious death squad known as the junglers he’s been charged with crimes against humanity with Swiss prosecutors saying that he participated in facilitated and supported systematic and generalized attacks against opponents of the rim many of whom were civilians sonko is the highest r ranking figure within J’s Inner Circle to face Justice and as you mentioned if he’s found guilty he could spend life in prison Sam what does this mean then potentially anyway for the former dictator himself yayan jamy well trial International which is the organization which initially alerted Swiss authorities to Usman sonko’s presence on Swiss soil allowing him to be tried Under Universal jurisdiction have said that they hope he will be found guilty and that they hope this will put pressure on International authorities uh to bring Yaya Jame himself to Justice following the collapse of his regime Yaya Jame fled to Equatorial Guinea uh which is a country in central Africa with no extradition treaty with the Gambia which so far has allowed him to escape justice but uh campaigners uh ordinary citizens in The Gambia and various International actors as well are really hoping that a guilty verdict today will get things moving will bring Yaya Jame himself one step closer to Justice and they say that already a guilty conviction for Usman sonko uh would be one step towards Victory Sam thanks very much Sam BR our correspondent there in Daka following that story for us thanks

Switzerland’s Federal Criminal Court was on Wednesday due to deliver its verdict in the trial of Gambian former interior minister Ousman Sonko, who denied charges of crimes against humanity. More information with FRANCE 24 correspondent Sam Bradpiece.
#Gambia #trial #CrimesAgainstHumanity

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