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Ex-Sudan leader said he received millions from Saudis, trial told Ex-Sudan leader said he received millions from Saudis, trial told
(about 4 hours later)
Omar al-Bashir told investigators he received $90m (£73.8m) in cash from Saudi Arabia, a detective has said in court on the first day of the deposed Sudanese president’s corruption trial. Omar al-Bashir told investigators he had received $90m (£73.8m) in cash from Saudi Arabia for personal use, a detective has said in court on the first day of the deposed Sudanese president’s corruption trial.
Bashir has been in detention since being forced from power in April when security forces withdrew their support for his regime after months of popular protests. He faces charges of possessing foreign currency, corruption and receiving gifts illegally.Bashir has been in detention since being forced from power in April when security forces withdrew their support for his regime after months of popular protests. He faces charges of possessing foreign currency, corruption and receiving gifts illegally.
Large amounts of cash were found at his residence after he was toppled. The investigator said the case brought to the court investigated the source of some of that money. Large amounts of cash were found at Bashir’s residence after his removal from power. “The accused told us that the money was part of a sum of $25m sent to him by [Crown] Prince Mohammed bin Salman to be used outside of the state budget,” the detective, Ahmed Ali, told the court.
“The accused told us that the money was part of a sum of $25m sent to him by [Crown] Prince Mohammed bin Salman to be used outside of the state budget,” the investigator, Ahmed Ali, told the court.
According to Ali, Bashir said he had received two previous payments of $35m and $30m from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, who died in 2015. “This money was not part of the state budget and I was the one who authorised its spending,” the investigator quoted Bashir as saying.According to Ali, Bashir said he had received two previous payments of $35m and $30m from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, who died in 2015. “This money was not part of the state budget and I was the one who authorised its spending,” the investigator quoted Bashir as saying.
He said Bashir said the Saudi money was exchanged and spent and he could not remember how, nor did he have documents providing further details. He said Bashir told him the Saudi money had been spent and he could not remember how, nor did he have documents providing further details.
Bashir listened to the testimony from a cage in the courtroom and did not comment. Few in Sudan had expected ever to see Bashir, 75, appear behind bars and before judges. Pro-democracy campaigners and victims of systematic human rights abuses under his rule hope he will later also face charges of incitement and involvement in the killing of protesters.
Earlier he had arrived outside the Judicial and Legal Science Institute, where the trial is taking place, in a huge military convoy.
Bashir is born to a rural family in the village of Hosh Bannaga, 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of the capital Khartoum.Bashir is born to a rural family in the village of Hosh Bannaga, 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of the capital Khartoum.
A soldier from a young age, he fought alongside the Egyptian army in the short 1973 Arab-Israeli war.A soldier from a young age, he fought alongside the Egyptian army in the short 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
As brigade commander and with the backing of Islamists, he seizes power in a coup against the democratically elected Sudanese government.As brigade commander and with the backing of Islamists, he seizes power in a coup against the democratically elected Sudanese government.
He sends troops and militiamen to crush a rebellion in the western region of Darfur. The conflict claims more than 300,000 lives, according to the UN.He sends troops and militiamen to crush a rebellion in the western region of Darfur. The conflict claims more than 300,000 lives, according to the UN.
The International Criminal Court issues a warrant for Bashir's arrest on war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. The following year it issues a warrant for genocide. He denies the charges.The International Criminal Court issues a warrant for Bashir's arrest on war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. The following year it issues a warrant for genocide. He denies the charges.
He is elected president in the first multi-party election since he took power, which is boycotted by the opposition. He is re-elected in 2015.He is elected president in the first multi-party election since he took power, which is boycotted by the opposition. He is re-elected in 2015.
After a referendum, South Sudan splits from Bashir's Sudan and becomes an independent nation.After a referendum, South Sudan splits from Bashir's Sudan and becomes an independent nation.
Demonstrations against his government erupt after a hike in petrol prices. Officials say dozens are killed in related violence.Demonstrations against his government erupt after a hike in petrol prices. Officials say dozens are killed in related violence.
Protests begin in several towns after bread prices triple, snowballing into rolling nationwide rallies demanding he step down.Protests begin in several towns after bread prices triple, snowballing into rolling nationwide rallies demanding he step down.
Bashir is removed from office by the military and detained.Bashir is removed from office by the military and detained.
Pro-democracy campaigners and victims of systematic human rights abuses under Bashir’s 30-year rule hope he will also face charges of incitement and involvement in the killing of protesters. Ali, an activist freed after four months in prison when Bashir fell, said he was not gloating but was thinking of all the other dictators in Africa and the Middle East who never imagined that they might end up behind bars.
Sudan’s military rulers and protest leaders have begun to implement a landmark deal reached this month that is meant to pave the way for civilian rule. Bashir, wearing a traditional white gown, arrived at the building in a military convoy of dozens of vehicles and listened impassively to the testimony from a cage in the courtroom. He did not comment during the three-hour hearing.
The agreement between the military and the opposition coalition Alliance for Freedom and Change was welcomed by both sides, with protesters celebrating what they saw as the victory of their “revolution” and generals taking credit for averting a bloody civil war. Members of his legal team, which includes almost 100 lawyers, are optimistic the court will throw out the charges. Ahmed Ibrahim al-Tahir, a former senior official in Bashir’s National Congress party, said there was no evidence against his client.
Tens of thousands of people of all ages took to the streets of Khartoum on Saturday in celebration, with many heading towards the newly renamed Freedom Square, once the site of many of Bashir’s rallies. “There is no evidence of the forbidden wealth so far and [possessing] foreign currency is not a crime. There is media trial for the president outside of this courtroom. There is supposed to be a rule of law and that rule of law should be implemented for everybody,” Tahir said.
A key priority for the pro-democracy campaigners is to bring former members of Bashir’s regime to justice, and this is high up in a new constitutional charter. At the weekend Sudan’s military rulers and protest leaders signed a deal that is meant to pave the way for civilian rule. The agreement was welcomed by both sides, with protesters celebrating what they saw as the victory of their “revolution” and generals taking credit for averting a bloody civil war.
Members of the former dictator’s legal team, which includes almost 100 lawyers, are optimistic the court will throw out the current graft charges. Tens of thousands of people of all ages took to the streets of Khartoum on Saturday in celebration, many of them heading towards the newly renamed Freedom Square, once the site of some of Bashir’s rallies.
Mohamed el-Hassan el-Amin said the worst punishment Bashir would face was a fine. “There’s no way he will be condemned in this case … When he did what he did he was then a president with immunity,” he said. A key priority for the pro-democracy campaigners is to bring former members of Bashir’s regime to justice, and this is high up in a new constitutional charter. Human rights lawyers say charges for more serious offences will come when the civilian-led government is formed.
Human rights lawyers say charges for more serious offences will come when the civilian-led government is formed. “It won’t only be him but other big figures of his regime will all face these charges. We are just waiting to have a proper justice minister and a new attorney general,” said Abdullah Galley, a member of the Democratic Coalition for Lawyers. The revelations of Saudi support will reinforce fears that Gulf states are seeking to advance their interests through secret deals with rulers and key power-brokers in Sudan. Sudan’s military has strong ties to the Gulf monarchies, having assisted in the Saudi-UAE war in Yemen.
So far, authorities in Sudan have refused to hand Bashir to the international criminal court in The Hague, which has accused him of criminal responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide following the killing, maiming and torture of hundreds of thousands of people in the region of Darfur. Much attention has been focused on Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which spearheaded a crackdown on protesters. He travelled to Jeddah shortly after the fall of Bashir to meet the Saudi crown prince.
The backing of Egypt’s Abdel Fatah al-Sisi was also important in the military takeover. Egypt used its regional influence to rally support for the new military rulers of Sudan, including financial assistance.
The Sudanese authorities have refused to hand Bashir to the international criminal court in The Hague, which has accused him of criminal responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide following the killing, maiming and torture of hundreds of thousands of people in the region of Darfur.
The UN estimates that 200,000 to 400,000 people died in the conflict and a further 2.7 million were displaced. Militia formed and directed by Bashir are blamed for the worst atrocities.The UN estimates that 200,000 to 400,000 people died in the conflict and a further 2.7 million were displaced. Militia formed and directed by Bashir are blamed for the worst atrocities.
The next hearing is scheduled for 24 August. Asim Zurgan, 34, an artist, who was beaten when protests in June were violently dispersed, said Bashir should be accountable for the murder of Sudanese citizens in conflicts during his 30-year rule, and for the killing of protesters.
“I hoped to seeing him actually charged with killing Sudanese people in the civil wars in South Sudan, Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur, as well as killing the detainees at the intelligence detentions and the killing of all the peaceful protesters from 1989,” he said.
The next hearing in the trial is scheduled for 24 August.
Omar al-BashirOmar al-Bashir
SudanSudan
AfricaAfrica
Middle East and North AfricaMiddle East and North Africa
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