Over $350m Cash Found In Omar Al-bashir's Apartment

Over $350 million dollars has reportedly been found at the residence of former President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan barely weeks after he was toppled in a military coup which took place on April 11. He was initially placed under house arrest before being transferred to Kobar prison, where he detained some of his critics while he held on to power.

Mutasim Mahmoud, senior public prosecutor in Sudan, told reporters about the seizure of $351 million, €6,7 million, and SDG 5 billion ($105 million) at the residence of Al-Bashir. African leaders removed infamously from office had been known to stash huge amounts of money in their greed. A country where 80% live in abject poverty and rank among the worst countries to live in the world. $350 million would have had significant effect on the health and education sector and of course, the protests that toppled his government may not have occurred in the first instance.

The Bank of Sudan has since taken possession of the money and that charges will be filed against the former president under the foreign exchange and money laundering law.

Part of the cash was packed in sacks designed for 50kg of maize meal, according to Dabanga, a Netherlands-based media outlet.

Reuters quoted a source in Sudan’s judiciary as saying suitcases loaded with more than $351,000, €6m ($6.7m; £5.2m) and five billion Sudanese pounds ($105m) were found at Bashir’s home.

The agency said the source also confirmed that Bashir was under investigation and that prosecutors would “question the former president in Kobar prison”.

Al-bashir had often talked about his humble beginnings as the child of a poor farmer, who lived in mud houses on the eastern bank of the Nile some 150km north of Khartoum. This he had often said to whip up sentiments.

Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in the country’s Darfur region but the military which is in charge of the country has vowed not to extradite him.

The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which organised the protests that forced al-Bashir out of power, has expressed dissatisfaction with the military taking control of the country but the military council has resisted calls to hand over power to a civilian body.

Laurent Gbagbo, Sani Abacha, Idi Amin are few of African leaders whose estates were filled with money for generations. Others unfortunately escape with the common wealth and live extravagantly abroad afterwards.

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