Life Sentences for 8 Individuals, Including Former Intelligence Chief, for Illegally Supplying Weapons to Sudanese Army in UAE

ABU DHABI (Daily Qudrat): The UAE Federal Court of Appeal has sentenced eight individuals to life imprisonment in the case of illegally supplying weapons, ammunition and military equipment to the Sudanese army and related money laundering. Those sentenced include Sudan’s former intelligence chief Salah Gosh and senior Sudanese army officer Yasser Al-Atta.

The court also ordered heavy fines on companies involved in the case, confiscation of illegal funds and deportation of the convicted individuals after completion of their prison terms.

According to the UAE’s official news agency WAM, the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal delivered its verdict on Thursday in the case against an organised international network.

Investigations had revealed that the accused arranged the purchase and shipment of weapons for the Sudanese army through UAE-based trading companies, bank accounts and cash, while money laundering was also carried out to conceal the true nature and sources of the funds used in these deals.

8 Individuals Including Sudan’s Former Intelligence Chief and Senior Military Officer Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

According to the court verdict, those sentenced to life imprisonment include Rashid Omar Abdul Qadir Ali, Salah Abdullah Mohammed Saleh Al-Mu’alim (known as Salah Gosh), Ahmed Abdullah (known as Abdullah Khalaf Allah), Ahmed Rabie Sayed Ahmed, Mohammed Fath Al-Bayk, Yasser Abdulrahman Al-Atta, Othman Al-Zubair and Mahir Abduljalil.

Salah Gosh has served as the head of Sudan’s secret agency, while Yasser Al-Atta has served as an aide to the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces and has performed important responsibilities related to the purchase of military equipment.

The court ordered the confiscation of ammunition, mobile phones and communication devices used in the case. The convicted individuals will also be deported from the UAE after completing their prison terms.

In the verdict, several individuals were also sentenced to three years’ imprisonment each and a fine of 1 million dirhams each on money laundering charges. Some names are included in both the life sentences and the separate money laundering sentences.

Attempt to Send Ammunition to Sudan Under the Guise of Medical Aid

According to judicial investigations, the accused bought and sold weapons and military equipment in the UAE without permission or legal licence from the relevant authorities.

The verdict said that the group brought ammunition used in Gorjunov-type machine guns into the UAE, which was later prepared for transfer by aircraft to Sudan’s Port Sudan city.

To conceal the true nature of the weapons, the aircraft’s cargo was shown as medical equipment and relief supplies.

According to the court, these operations related to two separate purchases of weapons and military equipment for the Sudanese army.

Payment for these deals was made through bank transfers and cash in the UAE.

About 8 Million Dirhams Paid in Cash in One Deal

In the court verdict, Rashid Omar Abdul Qadir Ali was described as playing a central role in arranging the purchase and shipment of weapons.

According to the court, Rashid Omar, through his company, arranged the supply of weapons and military equipment for the Sudanese army and received funds in the UAE for this purpose.

Investigations revealed that Mahir Abduljalil provided about 8 million dirhams in cash to Rashid Omar as payment for one weapons deal.

The court held that Mahir Abduljalil played the role of financial intermediary in the weapons deals and participated in the transfer of funds through various bank accounts and companies.

According to the verdict, senior Sudanese army officer Yasser Al-Atta had requested the purchase of weapons and military equipment and had taken steps to obtain permission for the aircraft’s landing at Port Sudan airport.

Similarly, Othman Al-Zubair, an officer related to the Sudanese army’s financial affairs, was found involved in weapons payments, inspection of equipment and transfer of related funds.

6 Companies Fined 6 Million Dirhams, Licences Ordered Cancelled

The Abu Dhabi court imposed a fine of 1 million dirhams each on six trading companies found involved in money laundering.

These companies include Rashid Omar Brokerage Company, Portex Trade Limited, Apolara Electronics Trading Company, Yellow Sand Trading Company, Wardat Al-Masra Trading Company and Sudamina Free Zone.

The court also ordered the cancellation of the trade licences and registration of these companies, along with the confiscation of their frozen assets and funds obtained from money laundering.

In addition, an order was issued to take into government custody the sum of 1.545 million dirhams confiscated in the case.

The court acquitted two individuals, Mubarak Ali Al-Shaikh and Musab Awad Al-Karim Hassan, of the charges against them.

True Nature of Funds Concealed Through Forged Documents and Companies

In its verdict, the court said that the accused had established an organised system for the illegal arms trade, in which various trading entities, forged documents and bank accounts were used.

Through this network, not only were military equipment bought and sold, but the true sources and destination of funds were also concealed.

According to the court, these activities were carried out during the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan to supply weapons to one party.

The verdict said that using the UAE’s territory and financial system for such illegal activities could have been harmful to the country’s international relations and interests.

The court described the illegal arms trade and the use of forged documents as part of an organised criminal activity, while money laundering was viewed as a separate crime.

Sudan’s Civil War and Tensions in UAE Relations

This court verdict comes at a time when a civil war has been ongoing in Sudan since April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

According to news agency Reuters, the Sudanese army has in the past levelled allegations against the UAE of supplying weapons to its opposing group, the Rapid Support Forces; however, the UAE denies these allegations.

The latest court case relates to a separate illegal network through which weapons were being supplied to the Sudanese army from UAE territory.

UAE Attorney General Dr Hamad Saif Al-Shamsi had ordered the accused to be brought before the court on the basis of financial and technical evidence that emerged during the investigation.

According to officials, this case is an important example of the UAE’s actions against the illegal arms trade and money laundering, in which an organised network for the delivery of military equipment through the misuse of trading companies and the financial system was exposed.