SONKO TO PAY D20M COMPENSATION TO VICTIMS

The compensation is outlined as follows:

1. Binta Jamba (widow of Almamo Manneh) CHF 35,000. -- plus 5% interest from 8 July 2007;
2. Bunja Darboe (Gambia Armed Forces) CHF 8,950. -- plus 5% interest from 20 April 2006;
3. Ramzia Diab (former parliamentarian) CHF 9,950. -- plus 5% interest from 1 December 2006;
4. Demba Dem CHF 31,900. -- plus 5% interest from 20 April 2006;
5. Musa Saidykhan (former newspaper editor) CHF 62,200. -- plus 5% interest from 21 April 2006;
6. Madi Ceesay (former President, GPU) CHF 6,150. -- plus 5% interest from 21 April 2006;
7. Fatoumatta Sandeng Darboe (daughter of Solo Sandeng) CHF 35,000. -- plus 5% interest from 15 April 2016;
8. Community of heirs of Nokoi Njie CHF 9,366.70 plus 5% interest from 17 September 2016;
9. Fatou Camara (UDP activist) CHF 10,200. -- plus 5% interest from 17 September 2016;
10. Fatoumatta Jawara (former UDP activist) CHF 11,033.30 plus 5% interest from 17 September 2016.

The court had found Mr Ousman Sonko guilty of multiple counts of intentional homicide as a crime against humanity against Almamo Manneh, Baba Jobe and Ebrima Solo Sandeng; of multiple counts of false imprisonment as a crime against humanity, to the detriment of Bunja Darboe, Ramzia Diab, Demba Dem, Musa Saidykhan and Madi Ceesay.

It also found him guilty of multiple counts of torture as a crime against humanity to the detriment of Bunja Darboe, Ramzia Diab, Demba Dem, Musa Saidykhan, Madi Ceesay, Ebrima Solo Sandeng, Nokoi Njie, Modou, Ngum, Fatou Camara, Fatoumatta Jawara and Modou Touray.

It therefore sentenced Ousman Sonko to a custodial sentence of 20 years, which considers the in-total of 2,667 days already served in custody of the police; the pre-trial and preventive detention before the date of judgement.

Meanwhile, Sabrina Beyeler, Federal Prosecutor in the case of Mr Osman Sonko, said the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) is very satisfied with the judgment rendered by the Federal Criminal Court. She described it as a landmark decision for the victims from The Gambia, who have gone to great lengths to participate in the proceedings and give evidence.

“For the Swiss justice, it (the verdict) symbolises a further milestone in international criminal law,” she said, following the judgment delivered on Wednesday, May 15th, 2024, in Bellinzona: “It shows that these types of crimes are consistently prosecuted and punished and underlines the high level of commitment demonstrated both by the Office of the Attorney General and Switzerland as a country in this field.”