Africa-Press. The International Criminal Court has concluded the judicial proceedings against former leader of a militia in Darfur, Abdallah Banda Abaker Nourin, after the prosecution decided to withdraw the war crimes charges against him.
The court stated that the judges of the pre-trial chamber decided to terminate the case following notification from the prosecution about the withdrawal of charges related to an attack carried out by armed groups in 2007 against African Union peacekeeping forces in Darfur.
The prosecution clarified that the available evidence against Banda has weakened since the charges were confirmed over a decade ago, in 2011, and there are no longer substantial reasons to believe he is responsible for the alleged crimes.
The decision does not constitute a judgment of acquittal for Banda, as the judges confirmed that the withdrawal of charges and termination of the case do not prevent the prosecution from bringing a similar case against him in the future, should new and sufficient evidence emerge.
Attack on African Union Forces
Banda was accused of committing “war crimes” in connection with the attack targeting African Union forces in Darfur in 2007, with charges including murder, attempted murder, and intentionally directing an attack against individuals and equipment involved in a peacekeeping mission.
Banda was a leader in the Justice and Equality Movement, one of the prominent armed groups that fought the Sudanese government during the conflict that erupted in Darfur in 2003, when groups predominantly composed of non-Arab fighters took up arms against Khartoum.
Three Suspects Still at Large
The UN Security Council referred the Darfur case to the International Criminal Court in 2005, and there are still three outstanding arrest warrants for suspects in crimes committed during the Darfur conflict between 2003 and 2005, including former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is accused of committing “war crimes,” “crimes against humanity,” and “genocide.”
To date, the court has only held one trial regarding the crimes committed in Darfur, which resulted in the sentencing of former Janjaweed leader (now known as Rapid Support Forces) Ali Muhammad Ali Abd al-Rahman, known as “Ali Kushayb,” to 20 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The termination of Banda’s case comes amid a new war in Darfur and Sudan since April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which are widely viewed as an extension of the Janjaweed groups.
