Mahamat Said Abdel Kani, former commander of the Central African Republic rebel group, was convicted on Wednesday of four counts of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. These crimes occurred during his management of a detention center in 2013 and included beating and mistreatment of prisoners.
Details of the Crimes
The court stated that Said, 56, oversaw inhumane treatment of prisoners while the country was engulfed in religious violence. He also faced three counts of war crimes but was acquitted of those. During his trial, Said denied all charges and claimed the crimes occurred between April and August 2013.
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Trial and Consequences
The final sentence, which could lead to life imprisonment, will be announced at a later date. Said was one of the senior commanders of the Séléka rebel group that overthrew President François Bozizé in 2013 and oversaw the Office for the Suppression of Banditry (OCRB) in the capital, Bangui.
Prosecutors have claimed that prisoners in this center, identified as supporters of Bozizé, were subjected to various forms of torture, including whipping and amputation. According to the court, prisoners were also deprived of access to food and water, with some resorting to using their urine to quench their thirst.
A cell known as the "hole," where prisoners were kept in catastrophic conditions, was located directly beneath Said's office. The court also concluded that he personally participated in the beating of at least one prisoner. Said was handed over to the International Criminal Court in 2021 at the request of Central African Republic authorities, and his trial began in September 2022.
This is the first time a member of the Séléka group has been tried at the International Criminal Court. The International Criminal Court, established in 2002 in The Hague, is the only independent court at the global level that can prosecute individuals accused of committing the worst crimes.
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