News / Africa
South Africa should have arrested Al-Bashir, says the Court
15 Jun 2015 at 14:23hrs | Views
Al-Survivor bolted out of South Africa
South Africa must have taken steps to arrest Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir according to a South African court.
"Having heard council and having read the documents, it is declared by the court, that the government's failure to arrest Bashir is inconsistent with the Constitution," said South Africa, High Court in Pretoria Judge President Dunstan Mlambo who presided over the case.
"The government must take steps to detain him, pending a formal request from the ICC."
Mlambo said, "We will hand down an order, and the reasons will follow in a week's time."
"It has been clear that we were concerned as a court whether we were in jurisdiction.
"We would request an affidavit. We issue an order that an affidavit be filed for the time he left and port of exit."
SA government lawyer Advocate William Mokhari has confirmed that "Government now has reliable information that Omar al-Bashir has departed." His departure will be fully investigated, Mokhari adds.
"Having heard council and having read the documents, it is declared by the court, that the government's failure to arrest Bashir is inconsistent with the Constitution," said South Africa, High Court in Pretoria Judge President Dunstan Mlambo who presided over the case.
"The government must take steps to detain him, pending a formal request from the ICC."
Mlambo said, "We will hand down an order, and the reasons will follow in a week's time."
"It has been clear that we were concerned as a court whether we were in jurisdiction.
"We would request an affidavit. We issue an order that an affidavit be filed for the time he left and port of exit."
SA government lawyer Advocate William Mokhari has confirmed that "Government now has reliable information that Omar al-Bashir has departed." His departure will be fully investigated, Mokhari adds.
Source - news24
