ICC Convicts Ex-Rebel Commander Over Bangui Detention Centre Abuses
The International Criminal Court has convicted former Central African Republic rebel commander Mahamat Said Abdel Kani of four counts of crimes against humanity linked to abuses committed during the country’s 2013 conflict. The 56-year-old was found guilty of offences including torture, persecution and unlawful imprisonment after judges examined allegations of widespread mistreatment of detainees at a detention facility in the capital, Bangui. Said was in charge of the Central Office for the Repression of Banditry, known as the OCRB, during the period under investigation. Prosecutors alleged that prisoners held at the facility were subjected to beatings, harsh treatment and severe deprivation. During Wednesday’s proceedings, presiding Judge Miatta Maria Samba outlined the crimes considered by the court, while Said, dressed in a blue sweatshirt and jeans, was seen shaking his head several times as the verdict was delivered. The prosecution had argued that the abuses formed part of a campaign against people viewed as supporters of former President Francois Bozize after Seleka rebels seized power in 2013. Said denied the allegations during the trial.
The ICC, however, acquitted Said of three counts of war crimes, separating those allegations from the crimes against humanity for which he was convicted. The court is expected to determine his sentence at a later date after a separate sentencing process. The case stems from the violence that engulfed the Central African Republic after the Seleka rebel coalition overthrew Bozize in 2013, triggering further fighting between Seleka forces and the anti-Balaka militias. The conflict was marked by widespread attacks and abuses against civilians, deepening political and communal tensions in the country. Said was transferred to the ICC in January 2021 after being arrested under a court warrant, and his trial began in 2022. His conviction adds to the ICC’s efforts to prosecute individuals accused of serious crimes committed during the CAR conflict, while the forthcoming sentencing hearing will determine the punishment for the offences for which he has now been found guilty.
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