SUDANESE JUSTICE MINISTER CAUGHT IN ICJ SCANDAL OVER LEAKED JUDICIAL COMMUNICATIONS.
BY NJOKI KARANJA.
A major scandal has erupted at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) following the leak of an audio recording implicating Sudan’s Minister of Justice from the Port Sudan administration, Muawiya Othman, in an apparent violation of judicial neutrality protocols.
The 13-minute recording, widely circulated online, captures Othman soliciting legal counsel from ICJ judge Awn Al-Khasawneh of Jordan — a move that directly contravenes the court’s strict rules on judicial impartiality. In the audio, Othman seeks to engage Al-Khasawneh as a legal advisor in a case currently before the ICJ, only to be informed by the judge that such an arrangement would be impossible due to his ongoing role as an ad hoc judge in another dispute.
Al-Khasawneh is heard instructing the minister to relay this position to “relevant parties,” suggesting prior attempts to engage the judge may have occurred. The conversation also hints at previous meetings between the two, raising further concerns over repeated breaches of ICJ conduct standards.
According to Article 17 of the ICJ Statute, members of the court — including ad hoc judges — are strictly barred from acting as legal agents or offering counsel in any case. Since a wave of corruption scandals in 2017, the ICJ has reinforced these regulations with updated codes of ethics and procedural safeguards, including a 2018 provision explicitly prohibiting judges from any form of arbitration or counsel activity.
Legal analysts say the revelations strike at the heart of the ICJ’s credibility. “This is a serious violation of neutrality,” said one international legal expert. “The integrity of the court relies entirely on its impartiality. Any compromise opens the door to challenges and recusal demands that could derail proceedings.”
The case in question reportedly involves the Port Sudan government’s dispute with the United Arab Emirates. Analysts have already described the filing as legally and procedurally flawed, citing issues with jurisdiction and evidentiary structure. The attempt to solicit advice from a sitting ICJ judge is now being interpreted as a further sign of the administration’s lack of preparedness and understanding of international litigation protocols.
This incident comes amid growing calls for stronger oversight within the ICJ. Experts are urging the court to intensify staff training and enforce strict compliance with neutrality standards to prevent future breaches.
As scrutiny mounts, legal observers warn that any erosion of trust in the ICJ’s impartiality could diminish its authority as the world’s premier judicial body for resolving international disputes. The court has not yet issued an official statement on the matter.
