Patience Mama Loum

Story: The article reports on testimony given at the Swiss Federal Court in Bellinzona by one of the Plaintifs of the former Minister of Interior, (Ousman Sonko), who was detained and tortured under the regime of former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh. The plaintiff, whose identity remains concealed, explains their involvement in the 2006 attempted coup in Gambia and claims that agents of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) detained, tortured, and abused them. The witness says that torture was not a hidden practice under Jammeh but rather an “open secret.” Meaning, many people knew or suspected it was happening. He was also a member of the National Assembly at the time, and describes how speaking out was dangerous: efforts to address torture in formal settings like parliament were extremely limited; even raising concerns could result in warnings, surveillance, or reprisals. The article also recounts specific abuses: forced to eat rotting/foul meat, being held at NIA premises, being re-arrested after acquittal, signatures forced under duress, wounds from torture, mistreatment at prisons (including Mile 2 prison).

Published in: October 17, 2025