Deposed President Omar Al Bashir Faces Trial Over Corruption

Former president Omar Al Bashir’s trial began on Monday, 19 August 2019 for corruption allegations, just days after the historic signing of the constitutional declaration.

Al Bashir is charged with illicit possession of foreign currency and accepting gifts in an unofficial manner. He admitted to receiving USD90 million in cash from Saudi royals. Al Bashir claimed that the money was part of a sum of USD25 million sent to him by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to be used outside of the state budget and it was spent on donations. In addition, he said he also received two previous payments of USD35 million and USD30 million from Saudi Arabia’s late and former King Abdullah. 

UPDATE: Sudan's deposed military ruler Omar al-Bashir has admitted to receiving $90 million in cash from Saudi royals, an investigator has told a Khartoum court.https://t.co/cFuL47zTmD pic.twitter.com/HKBTfXFZnk

— AFP Africa (@AFPAfrica) August 19, 2019

Shortly after Al Bashir’s deposal and arrest, nearly USD7.8 million was found at Al Bashir’s residence, as well as smaller amounts in USD and Sudanese pounds. 

Al Bashir, who came into power in a military coup in 1989, was ousted in a military coup d’état on 11 April 2019, which brought the Transitional Military Council (TMC) to power. He has been detained at the presidential residence under heavy guard until 17 April 2019 when the TMC announced Al Bashir has been moved Kobar’s maximum security prison in Khartoum.

After the ousting of Al Bashir on 11 April 2019, formerly defense minister and an ally of Al Bashir, Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf, took power on 11 April as head of Sudan and the TMC but stepped down on 12 April after protests intensified and transferred power to the current head of TMC, Abdel Fattah Al Burhan.

New Sudan

Al Bashir’s trial came shortly after the TMC and the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) officially signed the constitutional declaration in a monumental ceremony in the Friendship Hall in Khartoum on Saturday, 17 July 2019 in the presence of heads of states, prime ministers and dignitaries from several countries, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Chadian President Idriss Deby.

The constitutional declaration marks the start of a new era in Sudan. The two parties first signed an agreement on 17 July 2019 to establish a joint 11-member military-civilian sovereign council that will rule the country by rotation for a period of at least three years and three months. After that, the country would hold democratic elections in 2022. 

The sovereignty council consists of 11 members, of which five civilians nominated by the FFC, five military personnel appointed by the TMC, and another civilian member agreed upon by the parties.

On Thursday, 15 August 2019, the FFC nominated economist Abdullah Hamdok as prime minister in the country’s transitional government. The prime ministerial position will be for the transitional period of three years and three months.  

The FFC submitted their list of five candidates, which includes Aisha Musa, Tawar Saddiq, Hassan Sheikh Idris, Mohammed Al Fakih Suleiman and Taha Osman.

The first meeting was scheduled to be held on Monday, 19 August 2019. However, the meeting has been postponed for 48 hours so that the FFC could settle on its list of the five candidates for the new council.

Taha Osman, a member of the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), withdrew as a candidate for the sovereign council in compliance with the SPA’s decision not to participate in the sovereign council and the council of ministers. However, several unions such as the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors (CCSD), the Sudanese Journalists Network and the University Professors’ Association have announced their refusal to be represented in the new sovereign council.

Once the sovereign council is established, the TMC will be dissolved and replaced by the new sovereign council.