Khartoum court postpones student’s murder verdict again

The Criminal Court of Khartoum North on Wednesday once again postponed the verdict session in the case of Asim Omar, a student at the University of Khartoum, who is accused of killing a policeman.

The session was previously postponed a week ago for the court to hear a witness; a policemen with the rank of lieutenant.

Sudanese Congress Party opposition leader Noureldin Salaheldin told Radio Dabanga that the witness did not arrive at the courthouse, despite being summoned by the court.

Salaheldin said “this was seen as an attempt to slow down the ruling in order to prolong the suffering of Omar”.

Asim Omar was detained for more than 14 months after being transferred from security forces detention centres on charges of murdering a police officer in connection with protests at the University of Khartoum last year. 

Hassan was charged against the backdrop of the student protests at his university that started in the last week of April. Speaking to Radio Dabanga, one of the lawyers for Asim Omar Hassan said in May: “Asim did not know the reasons for his arrest and was not informed of the charges against him. He was promised to be released on bail, which later turned out to be misleading.

”The justice system is selective and used only to settle cases against political opponents, in an ugly exploitation of the laws and its bodies of enforcement.” the opposition leader said.