Sudan’s coup convicts plea for presidential amnesty, says army spokesperson
April 9, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The spokesperson for Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), Colonel Al-Sawarmi Khalid Sa’ad revealed that officers convicted last week for their role in the alleged coup attempt have waived their right to appeal the verdict and asked instead for a presidential pardon.
Last November Sudanese authorities announced that they have arrested 13 suspects, including ex-spy chief Salah Gosh and Brigadier General Mohamed Ibrahim Abdel-Galil who at one point served on Bashir’s security detail, on suspicion of standing behind a “subversive attempt” which was later described as a full blown coup attempt.
On Sunday, a military court sentenced seven of the arrested army officers to prison terms ranging between two to five years and discharged them from the military service for their role in the alleged coup.
They were found guilty of planning to undermine the constitutional and security order as well as endangering the army and the country’s unity.
Two other army officers were acquitted including one who agreed to serve as a corroborative witness for the prosecution.
But a source with knowledge of the investigation into the coup attempt scoffed at al-Sawarmi’s announcement saying that the government was looking for a way out from the case which threatened to widen an increasing rift within the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and its Islamic base.
He went on to say that it is inconceivable that Brigadier General Mohamed Ibrahim Abdel-Galil would be the kind of person to seek a pardon describing the trial as a sham.
During the trial Abdel-Galil reportedly made a forceful plea to the court, admitting his involvement in the coup before the judge.
“Yes, I was going to overthrow the government, and if I am released, I am going to do it again. You have two options: either to execute me or release me” he was quoted as telling the judge.
El-Moiz Abdullah, lawyer and activist from the ruling NCP reformist faction expressed disappointment to Turkish Anadolu Agency (AA) about these rulings.
“We in the reform movement expected more lenient sentences…we still hope when President Bashir, the commander in chief of the armed forces, views these rulings for final approval issues a decree easing them in order to avoid strife” Abdullah said last week adding that he expected them to be pardoned.
It is not clear if Gosh and other security officers have also submitted requests for amnesty. They have yet to be prosecuted.
A well-placed source told Sudan Tribune last week that authorities found no evidence linking the former head of Sudanese intelligence to the coup and were seeking to charge him with an unrelated crime of “Unlawful Enrichment”.
(ST)