A COURT in Sudan has convicted former President Omar al-Bashir of money laundering and corruption, sentencing him to two years in prison.
It is the first verdict in a series of legal proceedings against al-Bashir, who is also wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and genocide linked to the Darfur conflict in the 2000s.
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The verdict came a year after Sudanese protesters first began their revolt against al-Bashir’s three-decade authoritarian rule.
During that time, Sudan was added to the US list for sponsoring terrorism, and the economy has been destroyed by years of mismanagement and American sanctions.
Before the verdict was read, supporters of al-Bashir briefly disrupted the proceedings and were pushed out of the courtroom by security forces. Al-Bashir, 75, has been in custody since April.
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