A truth and reconciliation commission in Gambia has recommended an international criminal case against the former dictator Yahya Jammeh.

The trial for "murder, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance" should take place in another West African country under the supervision of an international organization from Africa, according to the report published on Friday.

According to the commission, between 240 and 250 people died as a result of atrocities committed by the regime.

The commission set up in 2017 heard almost 400 witnesses, victims and former members of the Jammeh regime's death squads from the beginning of 2019 to mid-2021.

In many statements, the former dictator was directly accused.

The allegations include murder, torture, rape and castration, arbitrary arrests, hunting down alleged witchers and forced treatment with a dummy drug against AIDS.

The commission had already presented its report to President Adama Barrow in November.

However, he had not published it before the election in early December.

Justice Minister Dawdu Jallow reiterated at the presentation of the content on Friday that the Gambian government "is obliged to implement the recommendations of the report".

The government wants to publish a first proposal by the end of May.

Dictator fled to Equatorial Guinea in 2017

Jammeh had ruled the Gambia with a hard hand for more than 20 years since a coup in 1994.

He fled to Equatorial Guinea in January 2017 after losing the presidential election to Barrow.

Barrow was re-elected for a second term in early December.

Jammeh still has a lot of supporters in Gambia.

Before the election, the 56-year-old exiled politician called for rallies from his supporters.

Jammeh's influence on Gambia's politics and his possible return from exile also played an important role in the election campaign.

The Gambia is one of the poorest countries in the world.

About half of the two million inhabitants live on less than 1.90 dollars (1.68 euros) a day, according to the World Bank.

The economy, which is heavily dependent on tourism, was hit hard by the corona pandemic.