Sudan V-P: Beleaguered Al Bashir authorised massacre, more money seized

The commander of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and effective Vice-President as deputy-head of the Transitional Military Council (TMC), Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan (aka Hemeti), has confirmed the events leading to the overthrow of former President Omar Al Bashir by senior military officers on April 11. He also confirmed that more money has been retrieved from accounts in Al Bashir’s name.

In a statement on Thursday, Hemeti confirmed that on April 11, when the security committee approached Al Bashir to find a solution to the crisis, the ousted dictator reminded them that “we follow the Maliki doctrine which allows a leader to kill 30 per cent of his people so that the rest can live in dignity”. This effectively authorised a wholesale massacre of thousands of demonstrators already amassed since April 6 at the growing sit-in outside the General Command of the Sudanese army in Khartoum.

Hemeti’s words further confirm a statement last week to the same effect by Osman Mirghani, Editor-in-chief of El Tayyar newspaper.

Bashir’s cash stash

Hemeti has also confirmed that substantial amounts of money have been recovered from bank accounts held by Al Bashir. According to Al Sudani newspaper, just one such account at a commercial bank in Khartoum, held 315 million Saudi Riyals ($84 million). Hemeti confirmed the report adding that the last transaction on the account was on March 10, 2016.

“We also found 142 million Sudanese pounds,” Hemeti said, adding that the money has been transferred to the state coffers in the Central Bank of Sudan.

As reported by Radio Dabanga, last week, Sudanese authorities seized a substantial amount of cash during a search of Al Bashir’s residence in Khartoum. Amounts of $351 million, €6,7 million, £5.2 million, and SDG 5 billion ($105 million) were recovered and deposited within the vaults of the Central Bank of Sudan.

It is alleged that Al Bashir’s wife, who has fled the country, as well as members of his family “have millions in hard currency abroad”.

Al Bashir is allegedly being held in Khartoum’s Kober Prison, although no official confirmation of this has been received by this station to date.

Senior Public Prosecutor Mutasim Mahmoud  says that following the cash seizure, charges are being investigated against former president Al Bashir under the foreign exchange law and money laundering.

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