The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced former Central African Republic (CAR) football chief Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona to 12 years in prison for 28 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the country’s 2013–2014 civil war.
His co-accused,former MP and militia commander Alfred “Rambo” Yekatom,received a 15-year sentence for 20 counts,including murder and torture. Both men were key figures in the Christian anti-Balaka militia,which targeted Muslim civilians after the Séléka rebel coalition,predominantly Muslim,overthrew President François Bozizé in 2013. The anti-Balaka campaign included mutilations,executions,and civilians being buried alive. On 5 December 2013 alone,1,000 people were killed in Bangui,with half of the capital’s population fleeing.
Prosecutors argued Ngaïssona financed and directed the anti-Muslim violence,while Yekatom personally commanded attacks. Despite their denials,the court found their leadership roles central to a campaign of religious persecution. However,both were acquitted on charges of rape and child soldier recruitment. Ngaïssona,once a government minister and elected to the Confederation of African Football in 2018,was extradited from France and transferred to the ICC in 2019. Yekatom,arrested after firing a gun in CAR’s parliament,became the first citizen extradited from the country to The Hague. The verdict comes amid fragile peace,as two major rebel groups disbanded this month in CAR.
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