Criminal Complaint Filed in Kenya Against 10 RSF Leaders

A criminal complaint has been submitted to Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), seeking an investigation and prosecution of 10 individuals affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during Sudan’s ongoing conflict, according to Capital News.

The complaint was filed by the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) and the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) on behalf of 12 Sudanese victims. It alleges a series of atrocities, including torture, rape, unlawful detention, sexual violence, forced labor, and murder between April 2023 and March 2025 in multiple areas of Khartoum, including Soba Prison and Riyadh complex.

The filing represents the first known attempt to invoke universal jurisdiction in Kenyan courts over crimes committed outside the country. The doctrine allows states, under specific conditions, to prosecute individuals accused of grave international crimes regardless of where they were committed or the nationality of those involved. Reports suggest some of the named suspects may be residing in or linked to Kenya.

ACJPS Executive Director Musaad Mohamed Ali said the legal move offers victims and survivors “hope in the fight against impunity.” GLAN Executive Director Antonia Mulvey argued that Kenya should not serve as a safe haven for war criminals, citing UN findings of serious violations by the RSF militia.

The Kenyan Director of Public Prosecutor (DPP) is expected to decide within 30 days whether to open a formal investigation—a ruling that could set a major precedent for the use of national courts in prosecuting international crimes committed abroad.