The High Court in Pretoria in South Africa has continued this afternoon to hold a hearing on whether to order the arrest of Sudan's President Omar al Bashir in spite of reports that a Sudanese aircraft possibly carrying the president left the country.

The presiding judge said the matter of Bashir's departure was “speculative” and that until confirmed he would continue hearing the case as if he were in the country.

Government lawyer William Mokhari said during the televised court hearing, “As we sit I do not have the official confirmation that he has left the country. I only have media reports that he has left the country.”

He said the media reports were not yet conclusive proof that Bashir left the country or that he was inside the plane that took off.

Mokhari also added that Bashir was not documented to have left via Waterkloof airforce base as far as he had been informed. “His name is not in the name of people who have taken off from … Waterkloof.”