The El Geneina Emergency Court judge, Ibrahim Al-Dome, appointed Attorney Abdel Fattah Mohammed as the court’s prosecutor.
The appointment comes when the judicial system in West Darfur State has completely ceased operations following the outbreak of the conflict on 15 April 2023.
Departments affected include the judiciary, prosecution, and police bodies. Due to the war, the Emergency Court remained the only functioning judicial entity where people could seek justice.
Prosecutor Abdel Fattah Mohammed told Radio Tamazuj, “I accepted the appointment because I believe that justice is a fundamental social base for the continuation of human life.”
Adding, “The absence of judicial bodies negatively impacts society, leading to chaos, security breakdowns, and the collapse of societal values, resulting in community disintegration and the prevalence of the law of the jungle, where might make right in the absence of the rule of law.”
Mohammed said the absence of judicial bodies constitutes a human rights violation because justice ensures security, stability, and peace of mind within the communities.
He added, “Emergencies represent an exceptional, immediate threat to life, personal property, and rights.”
Mohammed said the prosecutor will investigate and oversee criminal cases to ensure fair trials for all parties. This, he said, happens because the prosecution and judiciary are complementary bodies.
He explained that the prosecution of a criminal case involves two stages: the first is the investigation phase, which falls under the prosecution’s jurisdiction, and the second is the trial phase, handled by the court.
Mohammed stated that the prosecution safeguards the fundamental rights of the complainant, the defendant, the victim and the accused.
“After completing the investigations, the prosecution refers the case file to the judiciary. The prosecution represents the public interest, acting on behalf of society to demand harsh penalties for offenders to ensure the rule of law prevails.”
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