{"id":36721,"date":"2026-06-10T16:31:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T14:31:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/?post_type=news&#038;p=36721"},"modified":"2026-06-10T16:31:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T14:31:12","slug":"war-crimes-complaint-filed-in-kenya-against-sudans-rsf-landmark-moment-in-countrys-legal-history","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/news\/war-crimes-complaint-filed-in-kenya-against-sudans-rsf-landmark-moment-in-countrys-legal-history\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;War crimes complaint filed in Kenya against Sudan\u2019s RSF, landmark moment in country&#8217;s legal history&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The case, submitted to Kenya\u2019s Director of Public Prosecutions, invokes the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows national courts to investigate and prosecute serious international crimes committed outside their borders. The complaint targets 10 individuals linked to the RSF for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in and around Khartoum between April 2023 and March 2025.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Executive Director of Legal Action Worldwide Antonia Mulvey described the filing as a landmark moment in Kenya\u2019s legal history. Mulvey said the case is the first of its kind in the country, where authorities have been formally asked to investigate international crimes committed beyond Kenya\u2019s borders under the International Crimes Act of 2008.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Mulvey said the complaint was driven by the lack of viable justice options for victims in Sudan, where the conflict has severely weakened the domestic legal system. While the International Criminal Court is investigating crimes in Darfur, its mandate does not extend to other parts of the country, leaving gaps in accountability.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The complaint is supported by extensive evidence compiled over two years, including witness testimonies. However, details remain confidential due to the sensitive nature of the case and the need to protect victims and witnesses. The filing was made on behalf of 12 survivors, who allege they were subjected to severe abuses, including torture and sexual violence, while in detention.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Mulvey said the identity of the complainants has been withheld to safeguard them from potential retaliation. The victims were not present during the submission of the complaint in Nairobi due to security concerns.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Kenyan authorities now have up to 30 days to review the complaint and determine whether to proceed with a formal investigation. If the case moves forward, it could lead to arrest warrants and potential prosecution, including trials in absentia if suspects are not present.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8211;ChannelAfrica&#8211;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":36722,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-type":[26],"class_list":["post-36721","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"A war crimes complaint has been filed in Kenya against members of Sudan\u2019s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), marking a significant step in efforts to pursue accountability for alleged abuses committed during the ongoing conflict.","published_date":"","news_description":"A war crimes complaint has been filed in Kenya against members of Sudan\u2019s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), marking a significant step in efforts to pursue accountability for alleged abuses committed during the ongoing conflict.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36721\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36723,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36721\/revisions\/36723"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=36721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}