‘100 rape complaints in 2016, two soldiers to hang’: Darfur prosecutor

The Public Prosecutor for Darfur says that a total of 100 complaints were filed of rape of women and children in the region last year, of which 15 have gone to trial.

Counsellor Mohamed Tayfur was speaking at a press conference on Tuesday announcing that two soldiers charged with rape of children in Darfur have been sentenced to death by hanging.

Counsellor Tayfur said that of the 100 complaints of rape of women and children in Darfur over the past year, 11 have been adjudicated according to the Child Rights Act.

He said that overall, 315 criminal complaints were registered in Darfur during 2016, of which 241 are under investigation. He revealed that ten new reports of rape have already been filed in January.

The prosecutor explained that penalties for child rape range from death, to 10, 15, or 20 years’ imprisonment.

He said that about 41 cases are currently being tried by the courts. About 35 of them have been adjudicated and there are six cases before the appeal courts.

Tayfur said that that the Darfur crimes prosecutor office and relevant authorities managed to capture a number of defendants who have been causing insecurity in the region.

He said that committees of inquiry appointed by the competent authorities will investigate the incidents of El Geneina and Nierteti from the competent authorities, as “these are not the responsibility of the Darfur Public Prosecutor.