Month: January 2024

The trial former Gambian Interior Minister Ousman Sonko will open on January 8.

The former official is charged with crimes against humanity relating to torture, kidnapping, sexual violence, and unlawful killings between 2000 and 2016 under then-President Yahya Jammeh.

The opening of a Swiss trial on January 8, 2024, for serious crimes committed in The Gambia represents a significant advance for justice for the victims of grave abuses, Gambian and international groups that are part of the Jammeh2Justice campaign said today.

Sonko was arrested in Bern, Switzerland on January 26, 2017, the day after TRIAL International filed a criminal complaint against him. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland filed an indictment against Sonko before the Federal Criminal Court on April 17, 2023. The trial, taking place in the city of Bellinzona, is expected to last about three weeks.

The trial is possible because Swiss law recognizes universal jurisdiction over certain serious international crimes, allowing for the prosecution of these crimes no matter where they were committed and regardless of the nationality of the suspects or victims.

Gambian activists and survivors, and international advocates will attend the trial’s opening in Bellinzona and are available for comment.

In December 24, 2021, the final report of Gambia’s Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) found that Jammeh and 69 of his associates committed crimes against humanity, and called for their prosecution.

The Dangote Group has expressed readiness to assist Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in its investigations, following the commission’s visit to the company’s headquarters on January 4.

The Group said it was cooperating with the commission which is investigating the possible misuse of foreign exchange from the central bank.

According to a statement by the manufacturing conglomerate, it received a letter from the anti-graft agency on Dec. 6.

The letter, which was reportedly sent to other conglomerates, is said to have requested for details of every foreign exchange allocated by the Central Bank of Nigeria from 2014 till date.

The company says despite sending “a first batch of documents to the body, officers insisted on visiting the group’s headquarters.

Dangote said at the moment no accusations of wrongdoing had been made against any company within the group.

The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele who was appointed in 2014 was removed from office last June and incarcerated.

Kenya’s president William Ruto has come under heavy criticism following comments he made on the country’s judiciary.

Speaking at a a function on Tuesday, Ruto said that “corrupt” judges were conspiring with “cartels” to frustrate his administration’s projects.

Since taking office in September 2022, the president has introduced two hugely unpopular new taxes amid a cost-of-living crisis.

In his remarks, Ruto warned that “judicial impunity” would be stopped and threatened to disobey court orders.

Chief Justice Martha Koome was quick to respond, saying that the president’s comments jeopardised Kenya’s rule of law and would allow public suspicion and distrust in the judiciary to grow.

Kenya’s Judicial Service Commission said in a separate statement that it had noted the president’s remarks “with concern”.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga said Ruto’s threats against the judiciary amounted to intimidation and disregard for the rule of law.

In a statement published on Wednesday, Ruto defended his comments and said he vowed to continue fighting corrupt practices.

He also posted on Twitter, writing that “we will root out the corrupt” and “the impunity of bribing judges so as not to derail, delay, or sabotage Kenya’s imminent transformation will never happen under my watch.”

The Law Society of Kenya has called for countrywide peaceful protests next week “in support of the rule of law and in solidarity with the judiciary”.

In a statement, its president Eric Thueri said that “the President, as the foremost custodian of the rule of law, should refrain from undermining the judiciary and instead, utilize legal avenues at his disposal to challenge decisions that he finds aggrieving.”

The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss heightened tensions in the Red Sea following a series of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari warned that a military escalation would have adverse political and humanitarian consequences.

“The United Nations continues to warn against the adverse political, security, economic and humanitarian repercussions of military escalation in the Red Sea and the risk of exacerbating regional tensions,” the Assistant Secretary-General said.

“As to the overall situation in the region, we encourage all concerned parties to avoid further escalation and de-escalate tensions and threats,” Khiari added. “This is critical so that traffic through the Red Sea can return to its normal state and the risk of Yemen being dragged into a regional conflagration be avoided.”

The militants have said they are targeting vessels either linked to or heading to Israel in an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

However, there have also been attacks on vessels that have no connection to Israel.

As a result, many major shipping companies have suspended operations in the Red Sea and have re-directed their cargo ships along the longer route around the tip of South Africa.

Arsenio Dominguez, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, addressed the Council via a video link on the need to protect the freedom of maritime navigation, and the potential impact of the Houthi attacks on international trade.

“A significant numbers of companies, around 18 shipping companies have already decided to re-route their vessels around South Africa in order to reduce the attacks on vessels and the impact this has on seafarers in particular,” Dominguez said. “This represents an additional 10 days to the journey and of course a negative impact on trade, and an increase in freight rates.”

There are concerns that the disruption could see higher shipping costs and oil prices in the short-term.