ICC Convicts Former Seleka Commander in Central African Republic Case

The International Criminal Court has convicted former Central African Republic rebel commander Mahamat Said Abdel Kani on four counts of crimes against humanity, including torture and unlawful imprisonment.

The verdict, delivered on Wednesday, found that Said oversaw beatings and torture at a detention centre in Bangui during the country’s 2013 civil war. The court will announce his sentence at a later date.

Abuses at Bangui detention centre

Said, a senior commander in the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group, ran the Central Office for the Repression of Banditry detention centre in Bangui during the conflict.

Presiding Judge Miatta Maria Samba described a torture method known as “arbatachar”. It involved binding prisoners’ hands, elbows and feet tightly together behind their backs. Other prisoners were beaten with ropes and whips and doused with water, according to the judge’s account.

The Seleka ousted President Francois Bozize and contributed to a sectarian conflict. Bozize subsequently established militias dominated by Christians and animists known as the anti-Balakas. Thousands of civilians died during the violence, with alleged war crimes reported on both sides.

Mixed response from victims’ representatives

Reactions in Bangui were divided. Some people expressed pride in the conviction, while representatives of victims said they were disappointed that three charges were dismissed because of insufficient evidence.

Landry Makokpala, coordinator of the Association of Victims of Crises in Central Africa, said, “We’re dissatisfied with the decision that was handed down earlier.”

Makokpala said collecting evidence during the conflict had been difficult, asking who could have gathered photographs and other material at the time.

Fernand Mande Njapou said the verdict was a source of pride for victims but called on the ICC to pursue other alleged major perpetrators. “But I know there are other big fish out there. We ask the ICC to get their hands on those big fish,” he said.

ICC cases linked to the conflict

The ICC began investigating violence in the Central African Republic in 2014. According to the source report, the court had previously convicted two anti-Balaka leaders, making Said the first Seleka member to be found guilty by the ICC.

French troops operating under a United Nations mandate helped government forces secure the main cities from 2014. The country has since stabilised following a peace agreement signed in Khartoum in 2019.