Sudan's Bashir moved to prison as protesters rally

KHARTOUM- Agence France-Presse

Sudan's military rulers have transferred ousted president Omar al-Bashir to prison, a family source said on April 17, as demonstrators keep up their sit-in outside the army complex calling for a swift transfer to a civilian government.

Following the dramatic end to Bashir's rule of three decades last week, he was moved "to Kober prison in Khartoum", the source said without revealing his name for security reasons.

Witnesses near the prison in north Khartoum said there was a heavy deployment of soldiers and members of a paramilitary group outside.

The 75-year-old's whereabouts have been unknown since a military takeover when the country's new rulers said he was being held "in a secure place.”

The detention of Bashir has failed to pacify protesters, who launched anti-government demonstrations in December and have for days been camped out in front of Khartoum's army headquarters.

Sudan's military rulers have made some concessions to protesters, including the sacking of prosecutor general Omer Ahmed Mohamed, but demonstrators fear their uprising could be hijacked.

In the meantime, Sudan's ruling Transitional Military Council ordered the central bank to review financial transfers since April 1 and to seize "suspect" funds, state news agency SUNA reported on April 17.

The TMC 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.