Sudan leader Bashir diverted $9bn oil funds to Britain, says WikiLeaks
What you need to know:
- Ocampo quoted as saying claims could turn public opinion against the leader
LONDON, Saturday
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir siphoned off $9 billion (Sh720 billion) of oil money into British bank accounts, according to US diplomatic cables revealed by WikiLeaks yesterday.
The document quotes the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court as saying that US officials should go public with the allegations about al-Bashir in order to turn Sudanese public opinion against him.
It said prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo told US officials that the figure allegedly put away by al-Bashir was possibly $9 billion and “would change Sudanese public opinion from him being a ‘crusader’ to that of a thief.”
The document, released by the whistleblowing website a day after its founder Julian Assange was released on bail in Britain over allegations of sex crimes in Sweden, said that Britain’s Lloyds Banking Group “may be holding or knowledgeable of the whereabouts of his money”.
Lloyds insisted it was not aware of any link with al-Bashir.
“We have absolutely no evidence to suggest there is any connection between Lloyds Banking Group and Mr al-Bashir,” a spokeswoman said.
“The group’s policy is to abide by the legal and regulatory obligations in all jurisdictions in which we operate,” she said.
Al-Bashir is wanted by The Hague-based court to face charges of genocide and war crimes in Sudan’s western province of Darfur. He is subject to two arrest warrants issued by the ICC for the Darfur atrocities.
The court’s first-ever warrant against a sitting head of state was issued against al-Bashir in March 2009 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The second was issued in July 2010 on charges of genocide. (AFP)
