International Court adjourns Darfur rebel trial
The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday postponed the start of the trial of Darfur rebel leader Abdalah Banda Abaker Nourain, until further notice, blaming “logistic difficulties” for the delay.”Today the trial chamber decided to vacate the date of May 5, initially scheduled for the opening of the trial […] of Abdalah Banda,” the Hague-based court said in a statement on Wednesday. “The chamber will decide in due course on the further steps to take, after receiving additional submissions from the prosecution and the registry no later than 6 May 2014.”‘Set for March 2015’The ICC explained that the Registry has encountered “logistical difficulties”, among others the defenders’ change of the filing of certain submissions. Also, the prosecutors had proposed “not to start its preparations to bring its witnesses to The Hague, until there is confirmation that the accused will appear for his trial” on 15 April this year. After which the defenders requested the start date of the trial, 5 May 2014, to be vacated, and be set for March 2015 instead. This led to the ICC stating “the commencement date of 5 May 2014 is clearly not feasible”.In 2011, the judges “found substantial grounds to believe that Abdalah Banda and Saleh Mohamed Jerbo Jamus are criminally responsible” for the Haskanita attack of 29 September 2007 in which 12 African Union peacekeepers were killed. The assault involved approximately 1,000 rebel attackers, consisting of two allied forces led by Banda and Jerbo, according to the prosecutor.The defenders of Saleh Jerbo, Deputy General Commander of the Justice and Equality Movement-Bashar faction during the attack, claimed he was killed in fighting on 24 April 2013.Abdalah Banda, allegedly in command of the JEM splinter forces at the time, is charged for ‘violence to life’, ‘intentionally directing attacks against personnel in a peacekeeping mission’, and ‘pillaging’.File photo: Defence lawyer Karim Khan (L) and Abdalah Banda (ICC photo) Related: ICC sets date for trial of Darfur rebels accused of killing peacekeepers (6 March 2013)Two Darfur rebels to stand trial for killing UN peacekeepers (9 March 2011)
The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday postponed the start of the trial of Darfur rebel leader Abdalah Banda Abaker Nourain, until further notice, blaming “logistic difficulties” for the delay.
“Today the trial chamber decided to vacate the date of May 5, initially scheduled for the opening of the trial […] of Abdalah Banda,” the Hague-based court said in a statement on Wednesday. “The chamber will decide in due course on the further steps to take, after receiving additional submissions from the prosecution and the registry no later than 6 May 2014.”
‘Set for March 2015’
The ICC explained that the Registry has encountered “logistical difficulties”, among others the defenders’ change of the filing of certain submissions. Also, the prosecutors had proposed “not to start its preparations to bring its witnesses to The Hague, until there is confirmation that the accused will appear for his trial” on 15 April this year. After which the defenders requested the start date of the trial, 5 May 2014, to be vacated, and be set for March 2015 instead. This led to the ICC stating “the commencement date of 5 May 2014 is clearly not feasible”.
In 2011, the judges “found substantial grounds to believe that Abdalah Banda and Saleh Mohamed Jerbo Jamus are criminally responsible” for the Haskanita attack of 29 September 2007 in which 12 African Union peacekeepers were killed. The assault involved approximately 1,000 rebel attackers, consisting of two allied forces led by Banda and Jerbo, according to the prosecutor.
The defenders of Saleh Jerbo, Deputy General Commander of the Justice and Equality Movement-Bashar faction during the attack, claimed he was killed in fighting on 24 April 2013.
Abdalah Banda, allegedly in command of the JEM splinter forces at the time, is charged for ‘violence to life’, ‘intentionally directing attacks against personnel in a peacekeeping mission’, and ‘pillaging’.
File photo: Defence lawyer Karim Khan (L) and Abdalah Banda (ICC photo)
Related:
ICC sets date for trial of Darfur rebels accused of killing peacekeepers (6 March 2013)
Two Darfur rebels to stand trial for killing UN peacekeepers (9 March 2011)
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