Switzerland is set to prosecute a former Gambian minister who served under the ousted dictator Yahya Jammeh for alleged crimes against humanity in a landmark trial starting on Monday.
The significant case will feature testimony from a survivor of serial rape, marking the culmination of a multi-decade pursuit for justice.
Ousman Sonko, a former interior minister, will stand trial in Europe under the principle of universal jurisdiction, allowing prosecution for grave crimes regardless of where they occurred. Swiss advocacy group TRIAL International, which filed the complaint against Sonko, highlights this trial as a momentous step toward global accountability for severe atrocities.
The trial, scheduled from Jan. 8 to Jan. 30 at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, will witness the presence of nine Gambian plaintiffs. Human rights activists view this trial as pivotal in ensuring accountability for the most heinous acts.
Sonko, aged 54, faces charges ranging from murder to multiple rapes and torture allegedly committed between 2000 and 2016. This trial marks Switzerland’s second-ever prosecution for crimes against humanity. Sonko has denied these charges.
“It has been a long period of waiting, waiting with anger, anxiety. But I am very optimistic now and I feel so happy. I am smelling justice,” said Madi Ceesay, a 67-year-old plaintiff who says he was detained and tortured under Sonko.
However, Philippe Currat, the defendant’s lawyer, intends to petition the court to dismiss the case, citing issues with the investigations and hearings.
He criticized certain aspects, alleging that some evidence relied on “secret” hearings in Gambia and that interviewees were not informed of their rights.
Among the plaintiffs is Binta Jamba, who, according to the indictment, suffered multiple rapes by Sonko between 2000 and 2002 after he allegedly murdered her husband in connection with a coup attempt.
The indictment details horrific incidents, including Sonko holding her captive for five days in 2005, subjecting her to beatings and repeated rapes. She became pregnant twice by him, and he facilitated the abortions.
“Me and my family have been struggling with this for almost 25 years now,” she said in a message sent to media. “Without justice I will never have peace in my life.”
Sonko’s defense asserts that he was often abroad during the period of the alleged rapes and aims to contest the admissibility of several charges, citing that some crimes occurred before a relevant Swiss law was enacted in 2011.
Sonko was apprehended in Switzerland in early 2017 while seeking asylum, shortly after Jammeh’s oppressive 22-year rule ended when he lost an election and fled.
The maximum possible penalty Sonko could face is a life sentence. Currat alleges that Sonko has faced cruel treatment in Swiss detention facilities, including denial of food and inadequate medical care.
Fatoumatta Sandeng, daughter of Solo Sandeng, an opposition activist killed in Gambian custody in 2016, expressed her eagerness to confront Sonko in court, emphasizing the importance of holding individuals accountable to prevent such incidents from recurring globally.
