KHARTOUM: Sudan'sousted president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir acknowledged receiving millions ofdollars, a police detective told a court yesterday at the start of a corruptiontrial that many Sudanese thought they would never see. Bashir listened to thetestimony without comment, sitting in a metal cage and wearing traditionalwhite robes and a turban in his first appearance in a Khartoum courtroom. He ischarged with illicit possession of foreign currency and accepting gifts in anunofficial manner. Bashir's lawyer dismissed the accusations, telling reportersafter the hearing it was usual for leaders to hold amounts of foreign currency.
The veteranleader spoke to confirm his name and age. When asked about his residence,Bashir laughed and said: "Formerly the airport district, at armyheadquarters but now Kobar prison," referring to the detention complexwhere he sent thousands of opponents during his rule. Bashir weathered multiplerebellions, economic crises, US sanctions and coup attempts until he wasoverthrown by the military in April after mass protests against his 30-yearrule.
His trial will beseen as a test of how serious authorities are about trying to erase the legacyof a rule marked by widespread violence, wars, economic collapse and thesecession of South Sudan. The 75-year-old, who seized power in a coup in 1989,arrived at the courthouse in a convoy with military and paramilitary RapidSupport Forces soldiers. Family members shouted "Allahu Akbar" (Godis the Greatest) and he raised his hand in greeting from the courtroom cage. Asmall number of family members were permitted inside the cage after the sessionended to speak with him. The next hearing was scheduled for Saturday.
Bashir faces araft of charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide from theInternational Criminal Court over his role in the Darfur war but yesterday'strial is over graft allegations. London-based rights watchdog AmnestyInternational has warned however that the corruption trial should not distractfrom his Darfur indictments.
"While thistrial is a positive step towards accountability for some of his alleged crimes,he remains wanted for heinous crimes committed against the Sudanesepeople," Amnesty said. Amnesty urged the country's new transitionalinstitutions to ratify the ICC's Rome Statute, a move that would allow for histransfer to the international tribunal. The Hague-based ICC has for yearsdemanded that Bashir stand trial, and has renewed its call since his fall.
Bashir's lawyerAhmed Ibrahim told reporters: "There is no information or evidence withregards to the accusations of illicit gains aimed at Bashir. Anyone in hisoccupation has to have foreign currency and it was in a room attached to hisoffice in his presidential residence."
Bashir was alsocharged in May with incitement and involvement in the killing of protesters,and prosecutors also want him questioned over suspected money laundering andterrorism financing. On Saturday, Sudan's ruling military council, which tookover after Bashir's ouster, signed a power-sharing agreement with the mainopposition coalition, paving the way for a transitional government and eventualelections. The pact sets up a sovereign council as the highest authority in thecountry, but largely delegates executive powers to the cabinet of ministers.
The sovereigncouncil was due to be sworn in yesterday, but it was delayed after one of thefive nominees put forward by the opposition alliance representing protestleaders turned down the job. The spokesman for the Transitional MilitaryCouncil, Lieutenant General Shams El Din Kabbashi, said the formation of thenew ruling body would be delayed by 48 hours on the request of the oppositioncoalition. - Agencies