Three Gambians forced to use Yahya Jammeh’s AIDS ‘cure’ sue for damages
Dakar — Three victims of a fake HIV/AIDS cure created by Gambia’s former president sued for damages on Thursday, in the first case against Yahya Jammeh to reach national courts since the former leader fled into exile. The three filed a lawsuit at the high court in the capital of Banjul on Thursday, said US-based charity AIDS-Free World, which helped them gather evidence. Jammeh, whose 22-year rule over the tiny West African country was marked by accusations of human rights abuses, fled to Equatorial Guinea in 2017 after losing an election. Ousman Sowe, Lamin Ceesay and Fatou Jatta were among the first Gambians who joined his HIV/AIDS treatment programme in 2007, where they were forced to give up antiretroviral drugs and drink home-made potions that made them vomit. Their health worsened, while others in the programme died. "I believe it is my responsibility to hold Jammeh to account," said Sowe, a former university lecturer. "I knew that one day the real story would be told." People...
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