On 31 August, the Khartoum Administrative Court restored administrative powers to the official lands and buildings committee of the Sudan Evangelical Presbyterian Church (SEPC) denomination, chaired by Rafat Obid.
The court’s decision overturns a March 2013 order made by the Ministry of Endowments and Religion, the body that governs religious affairs in Sudan, to grant an illegitimate church committee the power to administrate on behalf of the church. The illegitimate committee was subsequently involved in the contentious sale of church property to local businessmen.
It is hoped that this will bring an end to the ongoing legal battles that churches under the denomination have faced, such as Khartoum Bahri Evangelical Church (KBEC), which has been embroiled in an ongoing legal dispute with government-backed Muslim businessmen who were sold property belonging to the church under the authorisation of the illegitimate committee.
