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Swiss court jails Gambian ex-minister for crimes against humanity

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Swiss court jails Gambian ex-minister for crimes against humanity

By Francesca Hangeior

Switzerland’s Federal Criminal Court on Wednesday sentenced Gambian former interior minister Ousman Sonko to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity.

Sonko, 55, was convicted over a string of offences committed between 2000 and 2016 under the regime of former Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh.

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Reading the verdict, the clerk of the court said Sonko had been given a “custodial sentence of 20 years”.

State prosecutors had sought life imprisonment for Sonko at the trial in Bellinzona, southern Switzerland, which began in January.

Sonko has been in Swiss custody since his arrest in January 2017 after applying for asylum following his sacking from the West African nation’s government.

He was tried under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows countries to prosecute alleged crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide regardless of where they were committed.

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“The conviction of Ousman Sonko, one of the pillars of Yahya Jammeh’s brutal regime, is a major step on the long road to justice for Jammeh’s victims,” said lawyer Reed Brody, a member of the International Commission of Jurists.

“This verdict confirms that justice knows no borders and that ‘universal jurisdiction’ has become a powerful tool to bring to book tyrants and torturers who thought they had escaped justice,” he said in a statement.

Brody works with Jammeh’s victims and followed the court case in Bellinzona.

Sonko’s lawyers had argued that he should not have been tried on any counts predating 2011 when universal jurisdiction came into force in Switzerland.

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During the trial, the prosecution and the civil parties involved argued why they considered Sonko to be responsible for killings, torture, rape and other sexual crimes.

Trial International filed the complaint leading to Sonko’s arrest.

The NGO “observed great relief on the part of the complaining parties to have been present, to be able to confront Ousman Sonko and to see how he reacted to what they said”, Trial’s legal advisor Benoit Meystre told AFP.

“Some also told us that the role they played in the trial contributes to their healing,” he added.

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The complainants’ lawyers had said they believed there was no doubt that Sonko was part of Jammeh’s inner circle throughout his repressive regime.

Jammeh ruled The Gambia with an iron grip from 1994 to 2016.

Sonko was accused by Swiss prosecutors of “having supported, participated in and failed to prevent systematic and generalised attacks as part of the repression carried out by the Gambian security forces against all opponents of the regime”.

The charges included nine counts of crimes against humanity.

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Sonko was accused of having “deliberately killed, tortured, raped and unlawfully deprived individuals of their liberty in a serious manner”.

He was accused of committing the crimes first within the army, then as inspector general of the police, and finally as the interior minister from 2006 to 2016.

His lawyers argued that he should not be tried for crimes against humanity because the alleged offences were isolated acts, and acts for which they said Sonko bore no responsibility.

Jammeh and his ‘henchmen’
“The long arm of the law is catching up with Yahya Jammeh’s accomplices all around the world, and hopefully will soon catch up with Jammeh himself,” Brody said.

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“Jammeh’s henchmen have been convicted in Germany and now in Switzerland and another trial is approaching in the United States,” he added.

“Most importantly, the Gambian government, after many years, is finally moving towards the prosecution of Jammeh himself,” Brody said.

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Edo guber: APC’s Okpebholo wins at Tribunal

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo has been confirmed as Governor by the Edo Petition Tribunal in Abuja.

He had earlier won on September 21, 2024 on the political cum electoral turf when he clinched the first prize.

He defeated Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, his closest competitor, who was banking on the power of incumbent PDP administration in the state to win.

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Ighodalo and the PDP had filed their petition at the Tribunal challenging Okpebholo and APC’s victory at the poll.

But delivering its judgement in the petition on Wednesday, the Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal ruled that PDP petition failed for lack of competent witnesses

The Tribunal said that the PDP petition challenging the outcome of the 2024 governorship election also failed, because of insufficient evidence to substantiate claims of electoral malpractice.

The petitioners had alleged that the failure to properly record electoral materials prior to the election had affected the results.

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However, the Tribunal found that while documents were submitted, no witnesses were called to properly authenticate them, rendering the evidence inadmissible.

Of the 19 witnesses presented by the petitioners, 14 were ward and local government agents, while their star witness, who claimed to be a director of strategy, played no direct role in the conduct of the election.

The Tribunal noted that none of these witnesses provided testimony on the alleged failure of prior recording of electoral materials, deeming them incompetent to testify on the matter.

Furthermore, the Tribunal emphasized that for allegations of over-voting to be proven, petitioners must provide oral evidence, in line with the precedent set by the Supreme Court.

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It stressed that it was bound to adhere strictly to the Supreme Court’s roadmap in adjudicating election disputes.

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Nigerian Immigration Operatives Nab 51 Illegal Migrants From Mali In Nyanya, Abuja

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According to the statement, the arrests took place on Monday, March 31, 2025, following credible intelligence.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has said that its officers arrested 51 illegal migrants from Mali in New Nyanya, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The NIS made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Public Relations Officer, ACI A.S. Akinlabi.

According to the statement, the arrests took place on Monday, March 31, 2025, following credible intelligence.

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A breakdown of the arrested migrants revealed that 11 were female, while 40 were male, with ages ranging between 16 and 19 years.

Akinlabi stated that preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested illegal migrants may have been victims of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM), as they were found without valid travel documents or residence permits.

“Preliminary investigations conducted by the Service suggest that the migrants may have been victims of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM), as they were found without valid travel documents or residence permits,” Akinlabi stated.

The statement further noted that the detained individuals have been taken into the custody of the Service for further profiling and investigation.

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“The arrested individuals have been taken into the custody of the Service for further profiling and investigation to determine the circumstances of their migration and any potential involvement of trafficking or smuggling networks or syndicates,” Akinlabi added.

Akinlabi further stated that the NIS would determine the circumstances surrounding their migration and uncover any potential involvement of trafficking or smuggling syndicates.

The statement added, “The Nigeria Immigration Service remains committed to ensuring that Nigeria’s borders are protected against illegal migration while upholding the rights of migrants who comply with the country’s immigration laws.

“The Service continues to work closely with relevant authorities and stakeholders to combat smuggling of migrants and counter trafficking in persons effectively.

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“The NIS reassures the general public of its unwavering commitment to National Security and Migration Management while encouraging citizens to report suspicious migration activities to the nearest NIS Commands and Formations.”

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Police Exhume Engineer’s Body From Shallow Grave In Delta Community

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The remains of an engineer, Chigozie Udalu, have been exhumed from a shallow grave in Akwukwu-Igbo, the headquarters of Oshimili North Local Government Area in Delta State.

Recall that the engineer, who was contracted to construct offices in Akwukwu-Igbo, was murdered and buried in a shallow grave.

Though the incident occurred in December 2024, details only emerged recently after two suspects were arrested in connection with the crime.

Assailants Murder Construction Engineer In Delta State Community, Bury In Shallow Grave

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A community source revealed that the suspects, identified as Tiv youths from Benue State, allegedly killed the engineer and concealed his body on a farm.

“Two Tiv boys from Benue State have been arrested in connection with the crime. They buried the engineer’s remains in a shallow grave on a farm,” the source stated.

The Delta State Police Command confirmed the incident, with spokesman Edafe Bright acknowledging that an investigation was ongoing.

“We are aware of the incident, and our men are working to ensure others involved are apprehended,” Bright revealed.

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On Wednesday, the remains of the victim were exhumed by the police and the Delta State government.

A police source revealed that the arrested suspects alleged the engineer owed them money and often verbally abused them.

“They had also intended to steal cement from the site but perceived the engineer as an obstacle. On December 10, 2024, they planned to strike him with a 2×2 plank but assumed he was physically strong and might overpower them.

“On December 11, the Tiv boys put a rope around his neck from behind, causing strangulation. Upon his death, they buried him in a shallow grave on the farm,” the source explained.

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“Following the murder, the suspects reportedly completed their contract at the site and stole the victim’s phone, making several attempts to transfer money via a mobile app.

“Additionally, the landlord of the construction site was accused of being involved in money rituals. In an attempt to clear his name, he was taken to shrines to swear an oath before the victim’s family.

“The landlord recounted his ordeal, stating that he nearly gave up on the case due to the challenges he faced with the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Asaba.

“However, a police officer suggested he visit Ekpan Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Aliyu Shaba. The officer assured him that within 30 days, the truth would be uncovered.

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“Upon arrival at Ekpan, the landlord briefed the DPO, who assembled his team and employed sophisticated investigative techniques, leading to the arrest of two suspects.

“One of the suspects later confessed to knowing the location where the engineer was buried,” the source said.

A young man was also arrested and transferred to the SCID for openly threatening the victim in the presence of the landlord, further highlighting the brutality of the crime.

Of the four individuals arrested, two are considered principal suspects. Meanwhile, a manhunt is ongoing for the remaining suspects who are still at large.

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