Sudan’s Bashir got $90m from Saudi royals
Investigator tells court
Sudan's deposed military ruler Omar al-Bashir has admitted to receiving $90 million in cash from Saudi royals, an investigator told a Khartoum court yesterday.
Police Brigadier Ahmed Ali said at the opening of Bashir's corruption trial, which an AFP correspondent attended, that the former president told him that the latest payment was "delivered by some of Mohammed bin Salman's envoys".
Bashir, whose military Islamist regime ruled Sudan for 30 years, arrived at the Judicial and Legal Science Institute where the trial is taking place in a huge military convoy.
Inside the courtroom, he was sitting in a metal cage, unshaven and wearing a white traditional gown.
The former strongman was forced from power on April 11 after months of protests. A transitional constitution meant to guide Sudan towards civilian rule was officially signed on Saturday.
Bashir faces a raft of charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide from the International Criminal Court over his role in the war in Darfur region.
However, the jailed leader appeared in court yesterday on charges of receiving and possessing foreign funds illegally.
The police investigator told the court that nearly seven million euros ($7.8 million) were found at Bashir's residence, as well as smaller amounts in US dollars and Sudanese pounds.