Swiss court jails former Gambian Minister

A Swiss court has sentenced a former Gambian Minister to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity. BBC News reports that Ousman Sonko fled to Switzerland in 2016, shortly before Gambian President Yahya Jammeh was forced out of power after refusing to admit he had lost elections. Sonko was arrested after an NGO presented evidence of atrocities committed against Jammeh's political opponents. He was convicted by the Swiss Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona of intentional homicide, torture and false imprisonment on Wednesday. He was acquitted of rape. Switzerland tried the case under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows countries to prosecute people for crimes that took place elsewhere. Swiss investigators travelled to The Gambia and interviewed dozens of alleged victims and witnesses for the trial, which began in January. Sonko was seen as Mr Jammeh's right-hand man, his role as Interior Minister putting him in charge of the security services, including, allegedly, a sinister paramilitary group known as ‘the Junglers’. However, in 2016, shortly before Jammeh lost power, Sonko fled to Switzerland, where he claimed asylum.

Ousman Sonko profile

Full BBC News report