KHARTOUM: Sudan'sousted president Omar Al-Bashir was charged in court yesterday with illegalacquisition and use of foreign funds, offences that could land him behind barsfor more than a decade. Bashir, who wasdeposed in April following months of mass protests against his rule, appearedin court in a black metal cage wearing the country's traditional white attireand turban.
Judge Al-SadiqAbdelrahman outlined the charges at what was the third session of the trial,saying foreign funds of multiple currencies were found at his home. Authoritieshad "seized 6.9 million euros, $351,770 and 5.7 million Sudanese pounds at(Bashir's) home which he acquired and used illegally", said Abdelrahman.
Speaking for thefirst time in court, the 75-year-old Bashir said the seized funds were theremainder of the equivalent of $25 million that he had received from the Saudicrown prince. "My office manager...received a call from the office of Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman sayinghe has a 'message' that will be sent on a private jet," Bashir told thecourt.
"We weretold that the crown prince did not want his name to appear (linked to thetransaction)... and if the funds were deposited with Sudan's bank or thefinance ministry, the source would have to be identified," he said. Dozens of Bashir's relatives attendedyesterday's session, chanting "Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest)" as heentered the courtroom pointing his index finger to the sky.
Donations
Bashir failed tospecify when the funds were received but said they "were not used forprivate interests but as donations". The funds were used to supportindividuals and entities including wheat import companies, a university and ahospital, he said. Sudanese law punishes illegal acquisition of wealth by up to10 years in jail while illicit use of foreign funds carries up to three years,according to judge Abdelrahman. Bashir's defense lawyers insisted their clientwas "not guilty" and said witnesses would be brought to court."We have witnesses, proof and documents that we will present to court torefute these charges," said lawyer Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Taher.
An investigatorhad previously told the court that Bashir received $90 million in cash fromSaudi royals including payments of $35 million and $30 million from Saudi KingAbdullah, who died in 2015. Aftertwo-and-a-half hours, the judge ordered that the trial be adjourned untilSeptember 7. He was escorted to and from the Khartoum courthouse by a convoy ofmilitary vehicles, as dozens of his supporters were gathered outside wavingSudanese flags.
Other charges
Following hisouster, Bashir was transferred to the capital's maximum-security Kober prison,where thousands of political prisoners were held during his 30 years inpower. Sudan has embarked on atransition to civilian rule following a power-sharing deal signed on August 17by protest leaders and the generals who ousted Bashir. A civilian-militaryruling body is now at the helm to steer the country through a three-yeartransitional period. Protesters have called for Bashir to face justice not justover corruption but for his role in the country's deadly conflicts as well asrepression of dissent.
Bashir is wantedby the Hague-based International Criminal Court over his role in mass killingsin the western region of Darfur. More than 300,000 people were killed and 2.5million displaced in the conflict which erupted in 2003, according to theUnited Nations.
"Now is thetime for the people of Sudan to choose law over impunity and ensure that theICC suspects in the Darfur situation finally face justice in a court oflaw," ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the UN Security Council in June.Sudan's prosecutor general has said Bashir would also be charged over thekillings during the anti-regime protests which eventually led to his ouster.-AFP