By Buba Gagigo
Former TRRC Lead Counsel Essa Mbye Faal has praised the sentencing of former Interior Minister Ousman Sonko in Switzerland and urged the Gambia government to expedite the implementation of the TRRC recommendations.
“Fellow Gambians, today another important chip in the brutal regime of 1994-2016 has fallen-Ousman Sonko has been convicted by a Swiss court and sentenced to 20 years in prison. This is the third operative of that brutal regime to be convicted of very serious crimes they have committed against innocent and powerless Gambians. Two of these convictions-Bai Lowe and Ousman Sonko occurred in Europe and unfortunately, only one-Yankuba Touray occurred in The Gambia,” Essa Faal said.
Faal described the day as historic and congratulated the TRRC staff and commissioners for their exceptional work in uncovering the violations that led to these convictions. He also commended the victim groups for their roles in advancing the accountability process but emphasized that more work remains.
“During my closing remarks at the TRRC, I stated that the wheels of justice for the atrocity crimes committed in our country have started moving. Accountability must happen as the train of justice has left the station. If Gambia does not prosecute there are other states or institutions out there which would prosecute including the ICC. Now we see that in slow motion in the international sphere.
“But, we need to see progress domestically. While I recognize that the government has taken critical positive steps towards accountability by presenting the necessary enabling legal framework bills to the National Assembly, the process is too slow. One wonders whether there is political will to bring the architects and major perpetrators to justice,” he said.
Faal urged the Gambia government to intensify efforts to implement the TRRC recommendations fully.
“The government of The Gambia must do more. It must implement fully all the recommendations of the TRRC and must also establish an effective mechanism for accountability/prosecution. The dillydallying and feet dragging must stop at least to show respect for the victims and to honor the pledge to and aspirations of the Gambian people,” he said.