The Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland, the European country’s top criminal court, has found Ousman Sonko, a former interior minister of The Gambia, guilty of crimes against humanity. Relaying its judgment on Wednesday, the court deemed Sonko guilty of intentional homicide, torture, and false imprisonment over a period of 16 years, including his 12-year tenure as the interior minister of the West African country. Consequently, the court handed him a 20-year prison sentence – a decision that has been lauded as progress in the fight against impunity. Swiss law enforcement arrested Sonko in 2017, two months after he applied for asylum in the Central European country, after the advocacy group, TRIAL International, filed a complaint against him. They subsequently accused him of playing a part in attacks against opponents in The Gambia, and charged him with nine counts of crimes against humanity. Sonko’s trial began in January and he may appeal the court’s verdict.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA