Canadian Foreign Affairs minister, Rob Nicholson, has expressed his displeasure with South African government for not arresting the president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, when he was in South Africa to attend the African Union Summit.

Nicholson in a statement released by Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said South Africa was obligated under the conventions of the International Criminal Court to arrest President Bashir and hand him over to ICC.

His words: “Canada is disappointed that South Africa did not fulfill its commitment under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to arrest President Bashir during his recent trip to South Africa for the African Union Summit. South Africa had a clear obligation to arrest and surrender him to stand trial for the crimes against civilians of which he is accused.

“President Bashir is wanted on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the conflict in Darfur. Perpetrators of such horrendous acts must be held accountable, and hundreds of thousands of Sudanese victims of this horrific conflict must have justice.

“We urge all State Parties to the International Criminal Court to strengthen their commitment to international criminal justice and to fulfil their obligation to cooperate fully with the Court in order to enable it to function effectively.”

Though a South African judge on June 14 banned Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir from leaving the country after the ICC said he should be arrested in South Africa, he, however, left the country unhindered with his plane flying out of the military airport near South African capital, Pretoria.