The Trial of Ousman Sonko
Ousman Sonko, the former Gambian Interior Minister under former president Yahya Jammeh who was tried for committing multiple crimes including torture, murder, unlawful detention and sexual abuse between the years of 2000 to 2016. These crimes are those that amount to crimes against humanity. Ousman Sonkko was tried, found guilty and sentenced in Switzerland under the law of Universal Jurisdiction. The TRRC recommended for Sonko to be tried for these crimes but he is not in the Jurisdiction of the Gambia. Universal jurisdiction is a principle of international law which mandates another country to prosecute such offenders when they flee out of the jurisdiction that they committed those crimes in.
Note: Permission has been sought from all Plaintiffs for the explicit use of their names in this summary.
- The Proceedings against Ousman Sonko have been abandoned as regards to the charges of:
- Multiple charges of rape to the detriment of Binta Jamba.
- Rape to the detriment of Ramzia Diab.
- The Swiss criminal Chamber finds Ousman Sonko guilty:
- Of multiple counts of intentional homicide as a crime against humanity in the death of Almamo Manneh, Baba Jobe and Ebrima Solo Sandeng.
- Of multiple counts of false imprisonment as a crime against humanity to the detriment of Bunja Darboe, Demba Dem, Ramzia Diab, Musa Saidykhan and Madi Ceesay.
- Multiple counts of torture as a crime against humanity to the detriment of Bunja Darboe, RamziaDiab, Demba Dem, Musa Saidykhan, Madi Ceesay, Ebrima Solo Sandeng, Nogoi Njie, Modou Ngum, Fatou Camara, Fatoumatta Jawara, and ModuTouray.
- Ousman Sonko was therefore sentenced to a custodian sentence of 20 years in prison.
- The time served in trial – trial detention before the judgement, of a total of 7 years and 3 months shall be considered in the execution of the sentence.
- Ousman Sonko is also expulsed (entry ban and exclusion order) from Switzerland for a period of 12 years.
- Ousman Sonko will be serving his sentence in the district of Bern, Switzerland.
- The cash amount of money seized from Ousman Sonko at the time of his arrest amounts to CHF 14,413.30.
- Ousman Sonko has not been granted either damage or compensation for pain and suffering.
- Ousman Sonko is obliged to pay the private claimants compensation for pain and suffering.
- The request made by Sonko to investigate his detention conditions and determine its unlawfulness has been dismissed.
