ICC judges to meet over Darfur rebel case on Wednesday

The Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court on Wednesday will hold a public meeting to confirm the charges in the case of the Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda and Saleh Jerbo.According to a statement issued by the court, the session will be held in the absence of the suspects, who waived their right to attend the confirmation hearing, as permitted by Article 61 of the Rome Statute. On 17 June, the suspects had appeared voluntarily before the Court in compliance with court summonses.

The two Darfuri rebels face charges of war crimes, suspected of having led a deadly attack against the Haskanita base of African Union peacekeepers in September 2007. There were approximately 1000 attackers, consisting of two allied forces, one allegedly led by Banda and Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, and the other under the command of Jerbo. Abu Garda has already appeared before the court and judges cleared him of charges saying that there was not enough evidence to proceed in his case.