Over the past few days rumours have been rife in The Gambia that the one-time powerful and long term former Interior minister in the Jammeh regime Ousman Sonko, who has been in detention in Switzerland, has been sent back to the Gambia. According to reports Mr Sonko was extradited after the Gambian authorities expressed interest in having him in Banjul in connection with some investigations into alleged human rights crimes.
Since the report surfaced mainly in the diasporan media, The Standard however checked with various authorities over the weekend to confirm the story but all the officials contacted either declined to comment or merely said they have no idea. “I have no idea or information about that,” a senior police chief told The Standard over the weekend. Similarly, a senior Army officer who was also contacted said he has no news on that and cannot comment on it. ”I don’t know where they get that news,” he said.
Mr Sonko, a long term aide of President Jammeh fell out with the former leader and fled to Spain and Sweden before landing in Switzerland where he is reported to have been put in detention after allegations emerged linking him to some human rights violations.
