Arabic version: المحكمة الجنائية الدولية تنهي قضية جرائم الحرب ضد عبد الله باندا
According to Allafrica, Trial Chamber IV of the International Criminal Court has terminated proceedings against former Justice and Equality Movement “Collective Leadership” commander Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain and vacated the arrest warrant against him. The decision was issued without prejudice to a future case involving the same or similar facts.
The case concerned three alleged war crimes linked to a 29 September 2007 attack on the African Union Mission in Sudan’s Haskanita Military Group Site in Umm Kadada locality, North Darfur. The charges included violence to life in the form of murder, whether committed or attempted; intentionally directing attacks against peacekeeping personnel, installations, material, units or vehicles; and pillaging.
On 15 July 2026, the Chamber authorised prosecutors to withdraw the charges after reconsidering an earlier refusal. An ICC statement said the Prosecution had not shown that evidence supporting the confirmed charges had deteriorated to the point that a trial could no longer proceed.
However, the Chamber said that taking the case to trial with a Prosecutor refusing to present it, despite evidentiary and legal obligations, would conflict with its obligation to ensure a fair and efficient trial. While deploring the Prosecution’s position, it authorised the withdrawal to avert an injustice.
The Chamber ordered parties and participants to file public redacted versions of relevant submissions or seek their public reclassification. A public status conference was held on 21 July 2026, when the Prosecution publicly announced its decision to withdraw the charges. The Defence and the Legal Representative of Victims were able to make observations.
Pre-Trial Chamber I confirmed the charges against Banda on 7 March 2011. Although he had appeared voluntarily during the pre-trial phase, Trial Chamber judges issued an arrest warrant on 11 September 2014 to secure his presence at trial. He has remained at large since then.
