Commission to hear Jammeh rape allegations

A former Gambian beauty queen will press charges of rape against the former President Yahya Jammeh, a week after claiming he attacked her in 2014 while he was still in office. Jallow (23) has returned to her homeland from Canada to present her allegations to the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) which was set up by President Adama Barrow to investigate human rights abuses committed during Jammeh's 22 years in power. A report on the allAfrica site notes that her accusations are backed by Human Rights Watch and Trial International which are helping her seek reparations and raise awareness about the scale of sexual violence under the former strongman. Jallow has accused Jammeh of raping her when she was 18 after she turned down his marriage request, having been lured to the presidential residence by an aide. ‘I was betrayed by the highest office of the land and no one could really do anything about it,’ Jallow said. The report notes that Jammeh has political asylum in Equatorial Guinea and Barrow has indicated that he would wait for the TRRC's final report before considering whether to push for Jammeh's extradition.