Sudan court charges 6 intelligence agents in murder of university student

A Sudanese court yesterday charged six members of the General Intelligence Service in the murder case of a university student during popular protests in January 2019 against the rule of then-President Omar Al-Bashir, Anadolu reported.

The Sudanese News Agency reported that six defendants were charged as a result of the trial following the murder of Mahjoub Al-Taj, a medical student at Al-Razi University. Three were also charged with criminal cover-ups and abstaining from providing assistance to the Mahjoub.

Two officers were released due to insufficient or weak evidence.

Bail of five million Sudanese pounds ($9,000) was set for one of the defendants pending his trial.

The court adjourned its session to 9 May, to hear from the defence witnesses.

During the trial, the defence attorneys said in their pleadings that their clients were not guilty of killing Al-Taj and that they had evidence and witnesses to support their claims.

The first court sessions began on 26 July 2021. Al-Taj was killed on 24 January 2019 during popular protests held in front of his university.

At the time, the Public Prosecution referred 11 defendants to court, including officers in the General Intelligence Service with the rank of brigadier general, in addition to a colonel, lieutenant colonel and captain.

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