Gambian man convicted in Germany for role in killings under Gambia’s former ruler

By GEIR MOULSON
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — A German court has convicted a Gambian man of murder and crimes against humanity for involvement in the killing of government critics in his West African homeland. The killings took place nearly two decades ago when, the court found, the man was a driver for a military unit deployed against opponents of then-President Yahya Jammeh. The suspect was given a life sentence by the court in the district of Celle. The court says Thursday’s ruling is the first sentence under international criminal law for human rights violations in Gambia. Judges said the defendant was a driver for a unit known as the “patrol team,” or “Junglers.”