Gambiaj.com – (BELLINZONA) – The Swiss Federal Criminal Court has accepted reports submitted by civil society organizations on allegations of sexual violence as evidence in the ongoing appeal of Ousman Sonko, while rejecting most other evidentiary requests made by both the defense and the prosecution.
The decision was delivered during proceedings held on 7 April in Bellinzona and signals that the appeal will place particular emphasis on how allegations of sexual violence are addressed within the broader case.
The ruling comes just days after the court affirmed its jurisdiction to examine rape allegations that had previously been excluded during the 2024 trial. The move marks a significant development in the proceedings, potentially expanding the scope of issues under consideration during the appeal.
Following its decision on the admissibility of evidence, the court proceeded to hear testimony from Sonko, focusing on his role during the rule of former President Yahya Jammeh and on specific allegations linked to the case.
During his testimony, Sonko denied all accusations against him.
He told the court that units frequently associated with human rights abuses, including the Junglers and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), were never under his command at any time. Instead, he placed primary responsibility on Jammeh.
The hearing also addressed specific incidents cited in the case, including allegations of sexual violence and the 2011 killing of Baba Jobe, a former senior figure in Jammeh’s administration.
Proceedings in the appeal are expected to continue in the coming days as the court carries out further examination of the case.
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