Sudan: defence lawyers say ousted Bashir may have Covid-19

The defence lawyers representing ousted Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir have asked to transfer him from Kober Central Prison to a private hospital for examination because it is suspected that he may have Covid-19, state television has reported. Bashir is in the prison to the north of Khartoum serving time on a number of charges.

The request was filed by the lawyers on Tuesday during a court session of his trial for his role in heading the military coup that brought him to power in 1989. The prison staff informed the court that Bashir could not attend because he “suffers from a sore throat and coughing, and needs medical rest.”

Senior lawyer Abdel Basit Sabdarat told the court that his client may have been infected with coronavirus and should be transferred to hospital immediately for examination. Judge Ahmed Ali Ahmed said the court will follow up with the prison administration about Bashir’s health status to decide if he needs to be transferred to hospital or not.

Bashir’s trial began on 21 July last year when he and 16 other defendants were charged over the coup that removed elected Prime Minister Sadiq Al-Mahdi.

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