Monitored By: Nyima Sillah
A script seized from former Gambian interior minister Ousman Sonko conveyed the order that the protesters, who came onto the streets to agitate for electoral reforms on 14 April 2016, should be liquidated, a Swiss court heard on Thursday.
The ex-interior minister was subjected to a rigorous cross-examination on Thursday as his trial over crimes against humanity charges proceeded.
The court heard that the Swiss police seized the script from Sonko as he sought political asylum in the Swiss Federation.
When confronted with the TRRC revelations against him as regards the ill-treatment of the April 14th demonstrators, Sonko said TRRC was a truth-seeking body and not an investigative panel.
He admitted that the condition at the Mile II cell, where Modou Ngum, Fatou Camara, and FatoumattaJawara were held in the aftermath of the protest, was not one of the best and offered apologies to the trio.
Sonko had, throughout his interrogation, denied being responsible for the prison as Interior Minister.
When confronted with the question from lawyers as to what he did upon realizing that Solo was killed after his arrest on 14 April, Sonko replied that it was the former IGP Yankuba Sonko, who declared on 16 April that the arrested protesters would not be interrogated by the NIA but the police. He added that his experience was that it was the NIA that treated Sandeng until he passed away. He continued to testify that as a result,when the second group of protesters descended on the streets, they insisted that the police would do the interrogations. Asked why a similar position was not taken for the 14 April protesters, Sonko said they were not directly under him but “junglers”, adding that “junglers” were only answerable to the formerPresident and he could not do anything about it.
On Jammeh’s threat to exterminate the Mandinka tribe, Sonko said: “It was an annual event for the government and the President used this to go round and talk to the people. I was told that Jammeh was speaking at a rally with the people at Tallinding in 2016 and said clearly that he would wipe the Mandinka tribe from the surface of the earth.”
On the execution of nine Mile II inmates, Sonko said he was at the prison with former justice minister LaminBabadinding Jobarteh on the day of the executions, adding that his presence was to make sure the deathwarrant was given to the prison officers. He said he had no idea as to how and where the inmates were killed.
The former interior minister was further asked to comment on the evidence that the executed inmates were dumped in a well but said he didn’t take part in the executions and his presence at Mile ll two was to hand over the death warrant.
Asked by his lawyer as to the role of the police in the case of the 14th April protesters, Sonko replied that police would normally ask for a permit if protesters go on protest without a permit.
“The police will go and announce after that the police will ask the group leader if he or she has a permit forthe event. If the person does not have it, they will announce to them to disperse and if they fail, then theywill effect arrest,” he explained.
He claimed that the police were met with violence and arrogance from the April 14th protesters, stressing that they could not get the lead protester; the late Solo Sandeng from the protest and they insisted Solo would not go anywhere, which resulted in the arrest.
When asked why he didn’t improve the conditions of the prison, Sonko said with confidence that he has done a lot to improve the conditions at Mile II and other prisons, saying that he made it possible for the prison to have mattresses, mosquito nets and also improved the quality of the food. He claimed that he fed prison officers from his pocket just to prevent them from tampering with the food supplied to the prisoners at Janjanbureh.
