The presiding judge over the trial of Sudan’s ousted president, Omar al-Bashir over the 1989 coup that brought him to power said the case has been adjourned today to September 15.

The session, which was broadcast on Sudan TV, was held amid tight security as the 76 years old Bashir, and other co-accused regime figures stood behind bars in the courtroom.

The presiding judge after procedural questions and debate about coronavirus precautions in the courtroom declared the hearing was “adjourned to September 15.”

Recall that Bashir came to power in 1989 on the back of an Islamist-backed coup that overthrew the elected government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and Basir stayed in power for 30 years before being overthrown on April 11, 2019, after several months of unparalleled, youth-led street demonstrations amid awful economic adversity.

If convicted, Bashir and others could face the death penalty as the trial is coming at a time when Sudan’s joint civilian-military transitional government is trying to make political and social reforms and on Monday agreed on a peace deal with most rebel groups.

The new authorities in February also agreed that Bashir should stand trial before the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Note that Bashir was arraigned by the ICC over the Darfur conflict that erupted in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels took up arms, accusing Khartoum of political and economic marginalization of their region.