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A war crimes suspect wanted for the alleged murder, deportation and torture of Muslims in the Central African Republic has been handed over to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the court said.
FILE PHOTO: A UN peacekeeper from the United Nations stands among houses destroyed by violence in September, in the abandoned village of Yade, Central African Republic, on April 27, 2017. REUTERS / Baz Ratner / File Photo
Central African officials on Saturday transferred Alfred Yekatom to world court officials, who have known for more than six years of violence that has destabilized a fragile region in the heart of the continent.
Yekatom, a practicing deputy nicknamed "Rambo", was expelled from the country by air and arrived at the Hague Tribunal Detention Center Sunday morning, officials said.
Yekatom and his lawyers made no immediate comment.
An American commission of inquiry revealed that Christian militia of Yekatom had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity by targeting Muslims.
The International Criminal Court – created to prosecute the worst crimes when member countries can not or will not do so – issued a sealed arrest warrant against Yekatom on November 11.
"We affirm that Mr. Yekatom is criminally responsible for several counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the Central African Republic between 5 December 2013 and August 2014," said the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda.
"Now he must answer for his actions in court."
WARRANTS, LOADS
Bensouda is currently conducting two separate investigations into conflicts in the Central African Republic. The arrest of Yekatom is the first of the most recent conflict.
A preliminary chamber found a reason to suspect Yekatom of having commanded about 3,000 members of an armed group operating in the anti-Balaka movement, which was leading systematic attacks against the Muslim population.
The mandate includes murder, cruel treatment, deportation, detention, torture, persecution, enforced disappearance and the recruitment of child soldiers under 15 years of age.
The former French colony, one of the poorest countries in Africa despite reserves of gold and diamonds, was plunged into chaos when most Muslim rebels from the Seleka began attacking towns and cities. Seize territories before taking power in March 2013.
The reign of the Seleka provoked a brutal reaction from the Christian militia known as the anti-balaka. Under international pressure, the Seleka transferred power to a transitional government, but this decision effectively divided the country and bloody clashes continue.
No date has yet been set for the initial appearance of Yekatom, but it must be submitted to a judge within a period of several days under the rules of the court.
Reportage of Stephanie van den Berg; Written by Anthony Deutsch; Edited by Robin Pomeroy and Andrew Heavens
