Sudan appoints first woman chief justice in Africa
October 10, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Sovereign Council Thursday appointed Neemat Abdallah Mohamed Khair as the Chief Justice of Sudan and president of the Supreme Court of Sudan.
The spokesman for the Sovereign Council, Mohamed al-Faki Suleiman, announced the Neemat’s appointment pointing that the decision was made under the amended Constitutional Document after its publication in the official journal “Sudan Gazette” last week.
On the same day, the Abdel Fattah al-Burhan issued another decree appointing Tag-Alsir Ali Alhibir as the Attorney General of Sudan.
Initially, the Interim Constitution had provided that the chief justice and the attorney general are appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council. However, this independent body of judges is not yet formed.
The amended Constitutional Document allows the collegial presidency and the cabinet to appointed them in a joint meeting and a decree is issued by the head of the Sovereign Council.
Al-Faki said that with these appointments the government turns a page on an issue that occupied the Sudanese street for some time.
He was referring to the controversy over the constitutional document and the delay in the launch of investigations into the bloody raid of 3 June on the pro-democracy sit-in where around a hundred protesters were killed by the security forces.
He added that the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General will exercise their functions and address issues of the awaited investigation on the killing of peaceful protesters, corruption and others.
As the head of the administrative department of the Supreme Court; Neemat was known for issuing a ruling in November 2016 preserving the ownership of a church in Omdurman to the evangelical church in Sudan, after attempts to wrest it by a merchant close to the government and supported of the ministry of religious affairs.
Also, she is one of the founders of the Sudanese Judges Club which participated in the four-month protests to topple the former regime.
The Forces for Freedom and Change nominated her for this position, in recognition of the role played by the Sudanese women in the revolution.
(ST)