The Hague: The International Criminal Court
said today it will not charge Darfur rebel chief Bahar Idriss Abu Garda over the killing of 12 African Union peacekeepers in
2007, citing a lack of evidence.
"The chamber was not satisfied that there was sufficient
evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that
Bahar Idriss Abu Garda could be held criminally responsible,"
the court said in a statement.
ICC prosecutors had sought a trial for the United
Resistance Front leader on three counts of war crimes which
included murder and pillaging.
They charged that Abu Garda's fighters killed 12
peacekeepers before looting their camp in a "deliberate
attack" on the Haskanita military base in north Darfur on
September 29, 2007.
Most of the soldiers, from Botswana, Gambia, Nigeria,
Mali and Senegal, were "executed" -- shot at close range, said
the prosecutor's office.
It said it would seek leave to appeal against today's
unanimous ruling. "We will appeal the decision," spokeswoman
Florence Olara told.
"We believe we have evidence linking Abu Garda to the
attack in Haskanita."
Abu Garda, 47, appeared before the court for a
preliminary hearing last year and said then that he looked
forward to "clearing my name".
His lawyer Karim Khan welcomed today's decision by the
court.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 09, 2010, 10:54