The Gambian Government Has Called on Women to Report Sexual Crimes Committed by Former President Yahya Jammeh

Fatou 'Toufah' Jallow, a former beauty queen in a state-sponsored beauty pageant, has recently accused former President Yahya Jammeh of rape during his time in office back in June of 2015. The Gambian government have now established a commission of inquiry to investigate human rights violations that occurred during Jammeh's two-decade stay in office. The have also called on women in the country to come forward and report sexual crimes committed against them by Jammeh.

Gambian Attorney General Abubacar Tambadou commended Jallow for her courage in finally speaking out while the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), Jammeh's political party, have rubbished the allegations altogether.

Ousman Rambo Jatta, the spokesman for the APRC said that, "We as a party and the Gambian people are tired of the steady stream of unfounded allegations that have been reported against our ex-president." The current deputy leader of the APRC added that, "The ex-president has no time to react to lies and smear campaigns. He is a very respectable God-fearing and pious leader who has nothing but respect for our Gambian women."

The BBC reports that once the commission of inquiry has delivered a report with its findings, current President Adama Barrow will then consider the possibility of extraditing Jammeh from Equatorial Guinea where he's currently in political exile.