The Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) comprising of the presiding judge, Judge Joanna Korner, Judge Althea Violet Alexis-Windsor, and Judge Reine Alaipin-Gansou have scheduled the opening of the trial in the case of The Prosecutor v. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman on April 5, 2022, as reported on September 8, 2021.

Known as ‘the Colonel of Colonels‘ of the Janjaweed militia, which carried out genocidal killings in Darfur, Sudan in 2003 and 2004. Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman surrendered himself voluntarily in the Central African Republic and on June 9, 2020, he was transferred into ICC custody. He made his first appearance before the ICC on June 15, 2020. The confirmation of charges was held from May 24 to 26 2021, before the Pre-Trial Chamber II.

The decision of the Pre-Trial Chamber II was unanimously pronounced on July 9, 2021, confirming all the charges brought by the Prosecutor against the defendant and affirmed him to trial before a Trial Chamber. His charges include 31 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, allegedly committed in Darfur, Sudan. These charges were initiated against him, due to his alleged role as the leader of the Militia. In July 2021, ICC judges announced that he will be the first suspect tried in connection with the Darfur crisis.

Source: https://www.icc-cpi.int/Pages/item.aspx?name=pr1806