Khartoum: The Special Court for Combating Terrorism and Crimes Against the State, led by Judge Al-Mamoun Al-Khawad, has formally charged 16 defendants in absentia for the murder of former West Darfur Wali (governor) Khamis Abkar Adam.
According to Sudan News Agency, the most notable defendants include Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeidti), commander of the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, along with Abdel-Rahim Dagalo, Abdel-Rahman Juma Barakallah, and Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Mahmoud Al-Rabi’a, among others. The charges against them fall under Articles 186, 187, 188, 189, and 191 of the Sudanese Criminal Code, encompassing war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, and other grave offenses.
The court has scheduled a hearing for Sultan Saad Bahar-Eddin, the Sultan of the Masalit, on September 10. This decision underscores the historical significance of the region’s leadership in the case. The court assured that all procedural judicial guarantees were observed for the defendants.
Judge Al-Khawad stated that the court found sufficient grounds to charge the defendants and issue charges against each. The case advanced to the court after completing investigations, with the Public Prosecution’s opening speech delivered by the Attorney General, who outlined the evidence and proof supporting the charges.
The proceedings included testimonies from 14 witnesses who corroborated the facts and linked them to the defendants. Additionally, seven videos and two documents were presented by the investigator as evidence supporting the charges. These materials illustrated the defendants’ involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the murder of Khamis Abkar, the systematic killing of approximately 15,000 Masalit people, and the displacement of 700,000 individuals to Chad. The atrocities also involved attacking camps, pillaging shops and banks, burying some victims alive, and obstructing the evacuation of the wounded.