ICC jails two Central African Republic rebel leaders for war crimes

Reuters

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced two former Anti-Balaka militia leaders from the Central African Republic to lengthy prison terms for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona received 12 years, while Alfred Yekatom was sentenced to 15 years. Both were found guilty over atrocities committed during a wave of attacks targeting Muslim civilians between September 2013 and February 2014 in the capital Bangui.

The pair were convicted on multiple charges, including murder, torture, persecution, and the forcible transfer of populations. Judges said they played senior roles in orchestrating the Anti-Balaka's campaign against the mainly Muslim Seleka group following the 2013 ousting of President François Bozizé.

While the court acknowledged the conflict later took on sectarian overtones, it found it was not initially religious in nature. Witnesses from both faiths testified they had lived peacefully together before the violence erupted.

The trial began in 2021. Both men denied the charges.

In a statement, ICC prosecutors welcomed the verdict as a “strong message” against impunity, stressing the scale of harm inflicted on civilians.

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