The International Criminal Court is pushing for the maximum penalty, life in prison, for Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb, a former commander of Sudan’s notorious Janjaweed militia.
Prosecutors say he played a central role in the brutal campaign of massacres, rapes, and village burnings that tore through Darfur more than 20 years ago. Last month, he was convicted on 27 counts, including murder, rape, and persecution marking the ICC’s first-ever conviction related to the Darfur conflict.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, Abd-Al-Rahman has maintained his innocence, claiming he was not the man known as Ali Kushayb, a defense the judges rejected. His lawyers are now asking for a dramatically reduced sentence of seven years, which could free the 76-year-old within 18 months due to time served.
Source: africanews
