Absentee Trial Begins for Janjaweed Leader, Hamdok, and 199 Others

The Anti-Terrorism Court at the Criminal Courts Complex in Port Sudan, presided over by Judge Mohamed Sir-Al-Khatim, heard the prosecution’s opening statement presented by the indictment team as part of absentee trial proceedings in Criminal Case No. (10/50 of 2023) against 201 defendants from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia and their collaborators.

The charges against the defendants include supporting rebellion, participating in military operations against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), carrying weapons, and committing other crimes described as serious. The most prominent defendants in the case include Janjaweed leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeidti), his two brothers Abdul-Rahim and Al-Qouni, and Othman (operations).

Sources indicated that several politicians are also among the defendants, notably former Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok, Khalid Silik, Taha Othman Ishaq, as well as a number of media figures who supported the militia.
Chief Prosecutor, Mahir Saeed, who also serves as Head of the Indictment Authority, told the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) that the case is one of the largest handled by the Public Prosecution in coordination with the police forces. He noted that the investigative procedures took more than two and a half years, during which extensive and precise evidence and testimonies were collected and analyzed.

The case involves more than 21 charges, including Articles 21, 22, 25, 26, 50, 51, 57, 58, 162, 163, 175, 186, 187, 188, 189, and 191/10 of the 1991 Penal Code, as well as Articles 5, 6, 9, and 10 of the 2001 Anti-Terrorism Act, and Article 34 of the 2010 Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Act.

He added that the indictment file was meticulously prepared, with detailed identification of all defendants, verification of civil registry and land records, and completion of all legal procedures necessary to substantiate the alleged acts.

The Chief Prosecutor affirmed that court sessions will continue according to legal procedures until the final verdict is issued against the defendants.