A Sudanese man accused of orchestrating atrocities during the Darfur conflict has told the International Criminal Court (ICC) that he is not the man prosecutors allege him to be.
Speaking at the end of his trial on Friday, Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman denied being the Janjaweed militia leader known as Ali Kushayb, who is accused of leading pro-government fighters responsible for mass killings, rape, and other atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region between 2003 and 2004.
“I am not Ali Kushayb. I don’t know this person,” Abd-Al-Rahman declared before the court. He said he surrendered to the ICC voluntarily in 2020 to clear his name and maintained that he had no connection to the crimes alleged against him. His defense lawyers have called for his acquittal.
Earlier this week, ICC prosecutors argued that Abd-Al-Rahman was indeed the notorious militia leader and presented witness testimonies detailing heinous crimes. In his closing remarks, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan stated that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, citing evidence of mass murder, torture, rape, and the destruction of entire villages.
The trial marks a significant moment as the ICC’s first and only case related to the Darfur conflict, referred to the court by the United Nations Security Council in 2005. Despite this trial, several arrest warrants remain outstanding for Sudanese officials, including former President Omar al-Bashir, who faces charges of genocide and other crimes.
The judges will now deliberate on the evidence and deliver a verdict at a later date.
