The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed that an alleged leader of a rebel faction in the (CAR) will go on trial to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The charges levied by prosecutors against the alleged former head of the “Seleka” faction, Mahamat Said Abdel Kani, include the torturing of prisoners.
An ICC statement said judges had unearthed “sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Mr. Said was a senior member of the Seleka coalition and is criminally responsible” for crimes in the CAR capital of Bangui, between April 12 and August 30, 2013.
Central African Republic has been mired in violence since 2013 when president Francois Bozize was ousted by the “Seleka” which was largely comprised of the Muslim minority within the country.
The coup triggered sectarian slaughters between the Muslim minority group and “anti-Balaka” forces — Christian militias — several of whose former leaders also face ICC charges.
An ICC arrest warrant was issued under seal on January 7, 2019 and he was transferred to The Hague one year later.
Said’s lawyers have said they will prove his innocence.