Africa
ICC fixes Bashir date
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir (centre) leaves after a closed-door session at the 12th African Union Summit in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa February 4, 2009. Photo/ REUTERS
Posted Monday, February 23 2009 at 19:06
In Summary
The Hague to make long-awaited announcement next Wednesday
AMSTERDAM, Monday
The International Criminal Court in The Hague will announce on March 4 whether it will issue an arrest warrant for Sudan’s president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur.
President Bashir, the most senior figure pursued by the court since it was set up in 2002, dismisses the allegations and refuses to deal with the ICC, calling it part of a Western conspiracy.
Chief prosecutor
The court’s chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo requested the warrant for Bashir last July, making him the first sitting head of state to be charged by an international court since Liberia’s Charles Taylor and Yugoslavia’s Slobodan Milosevic.
The court will announce its decision “concerning the prosecution application of 14 July 2008 for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan”, the ICC said in a statement.
A gun dealer
Meanwhile, a gun dealer was arrested selling AK-47 type guns in Anuol, near Yirol town, in Southern Sudan.
The commissioner of Yirol West County, Mr Agok Manyiel Dhieu confirmed that the gun dealer was arrested while trying to sell 10 guns.
Boxes of bullets
He also had three boxes of bullets, Mr Dhieu said.
The man is now in custody in Yirol West county central prisons, awaiting transfer to Lakes state correctional central prisons. (Reuters)
(Additional reporting by SUNA
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