ICC convicts Central African Republic rebel leader

The International Criminal Court (ICC) handed down a conviction on Wednesday against former Central African Republic (CAR) rebel commander Mahamat Said Abdel Kani. The 56-year-old was found guilty of four counts of crimes against humanity, including torture and unlawful imprisonment, during a period of civil war in CAR in 2013. Wearing a blue sweatshirt and jeans, Said appeared to shake his head during the verdict. The ICC will decide on a sentence later.

Said oversaw the Central Office for the Repression of Banditry (OCRB) detention centre in Bangui, where prisoners were subjected to horrific torture and maltreatment. Judge Miatta Maria Samba detailed the crimes, mentioning that “arbatachar” was a frequently used method, tying prisoners’ hands, elbows, and feet tightly together. Other punishments included beating with ropes and whips and dousing with water.

The court acknowledged the lasting impact of the crimes on the victims, citing one as saying his life had been completely destroyed. Detainees were kept in cramped cells without sanitation, forced to relieve themselves in the cell. The underground cell was dark, dirty, and had poor ventilation. Said was present during interrogations and witnessed torture, as ruled by the judge.

Said led the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group, which ousted President Francois Bozize, plunging the impoverished nation into a sectarian conflict. The Seleka conflict led to thousands of deaths and war crimes, but a peace agreement in Khartoum in 2019 stabilized the country. President Faustin-Archange Touadera, who has won three terms, has focused on stabilizing the nation after decades of conflict. Last year, the ICC convicted two anti-Balaka figures for war crimes, with one receiving 15 years and the other 12 years.