Swiss Court To Deliver Judgment On Sonko’s Appeal On Dec 1

The Swiss Federal Criminal Court has scheduled the pronouncement of judgment in the appeal of former Gambian Interior Minister Ousman Sonko for December 1, 2026.

Sonko was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in May 2024 after being convicted of multiple crimes against humanity committed during the rule of former president Yahya Jammeh.

The appeal proceedings in May brought challenges from Sonko, the Office of the Attorney General and civil parties against aspects of the original judgment.

The appeal hearings revisited contested legal and factual issues arising from the conviction, including questions concerning the court’s jurisdiction, the assessment of evidence and the treatment of sexual-violence allegations.

The December announcement will mark the next major stage in the proceedings. The appeal court’s decision will determine the outcome of the challenges brought before it, although its findings remain unknown ahead of the pronouncement.

The case has attracted international attention because it concerns accountability for crimes committed during Jammeh’s rule and Switzerland’s use of universal jurisdiction to prosecute international crimes allegedly committed abroad.

For Gambians following efforts to secure accountability for abuses under the former government, the appeal judgment will be an important development in a case that has been closely watched by survivors, civil parties and human rights organisations.

Source: The Standard