By Omar Bah
A former minister for the Interior Ousman Sonko, facing ongoing appeal proceedings in a Swiss court for crimes against humanity, has expressed regret for not appearing before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC).
This admission marks a rare moment of apparent contrition from the former high-ranking official under ex-dictator Yahya Jammeh, amid a high-stakes legal battle that continues to expose the brutal legacy of Jammeh’s 22-year rule.
Sonko, Gambia’s Interior Minister from 2009 to 2016, fled the country in 2016 amid political tensions with Jammeh and was arrested in Switzerland in January 2017 following a complaint by TRIAL International. The TRRC, operating from 2019 to 2021, documented widespread abuses—including torture, unlawful killings, and detentions—under Sonko’s oversight, recommending his prosecution based on victim testimonies.
His decision to skip TRRC hearings, while in Swiss detention, drew sharp criticism from victims’ representatives, who viewed it as evading accountability and supporting Jammeh-era repression.
In a landmark 2024 trial at Switzerland’s Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, Sonko was convicted of multiple crimes against humanity spanning 2000-2016, including the 2000 killing of a political opponent, 2006 torture linked to a coup plot, a 2011 politician’s murder, and 2016 abuses against demonstrators.
Judges highlighted his lack of remorse, “obstructive behaviour,” and failure to engage with TRRC evidence, sentencing him to the maximum 20 years in prison—making him Europe’s highest-ranking official convicted under universal jurisdiction for such crimes.
He was also ordered to pay nearly $3.9 million in compensation and trial costs.
However he appealed against the conviction on March 30, 2026, in Bellinzona, nearly two years after his conviction.
It was during these proceedings that Sonko voiced regret over his TRRC non-appearance, a statement that contrasts sharply with the court’s prior assessment of his unrepentant stance.
He said he would have liked to share his view of history, which could have contributed useful elements regarding the responsibilities to be established and clarified certain misconceptions or false accusations.
Sonko argued that in all the positions he had held within the government, he had carried out his duties as expected.
“No authority or individual under my control had been accused of committing crimes, and in particular not the acts discussed in the present trial.”
He stated that, prior to the trial, he had not been aware of any public threats made by Yahya Jammeh against the population.
According to him, there had been no state policy targeting civilians during his tenure, nor had he knew of any such cases.
“Those who had been targeted were the individuals involved in attempted coups in 2000 and 2006.”
Justice system under Jammeh
Mr Sonko further claimed that the justice system under Yahya Jammeh had been fair, and that the judiciary had been independent.
Regarding the 2016 events, he maintained that the demonstration had been unauthorised and therefore illegal, which explained the arrests, and that journalists had circulated false information. He stated that the security services in The Gambia was not coordinated to attack the population, and added that what happened resulted from spontaneous actions by security forces.
He stated that during his ten-year tenure as Minister of the Interior, he had never had any discussions about torture.
Junglers
Sonko informed the court that the Junglers had not existed as an official unit.
“They had been selected by the president himself from the State Guard to carry out his activities, namely the crimes highlighted by the TRRC. I learned of their existence in 2006 but had only become aware of their activities through the questioning of Bai Lowe, who had been heard during the Swiss investigation.”
