Sudan’s Bashir Investigated on Suspicion of Money Laundering

Sudan's public prosecutor has begun investigating ousted President Omar al-Bashir on charges of money laundering and the possession of large sums of money without legal grounds, a judicial source told Reuters on Saturday.

Bashir, who was ousted on April 11, was moved to a high-security prison in Khartoum from the presidential residence, family sources said on Wednesday.

Sudan's transitional military council, which ousted Bashir, has ordered the central bank to review financial transfers since April 1 and to seize "suspect" funds, according to state news agency SUNA.

The council also ordered the "suspension of the transfer of ownership of any shares until further notice and for any large or suspect transfers of shares or companies to be reported" to authorities.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters massed around a sit-in outside Sudan's Defense Ministry on Friday to demand that the military council hand over power to civilians.

Groups opposed to the military council will present a list of mostly technocratic candidates for a civilian-led transitional council on Sunday, a top opposition leader told Reuters.

The leader, who declined to be named, said the proposed council would be mostly civilian with some military participation.

The Sudanese Professionals' Association (SPA), which has led the protests, said the proposal envisaged a presidential council, a civilian council of ministers and legislative council.