The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced two former Anti-Balaka leaders from the Central African Republic (CAR) to a combined 27 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during a bloody sectarian conflict between 2013 and 2014.
Alfred Yekatom, a former CAR parliamentarian and militia commander, received a 15-year sentence, while Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona, once the group’s National General Coordinator, was handed 12 years.
The ICC found them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for a series of brutal crimes, including murder, torture, forcible transfer, persecution, and the use of child soldiers. These were committed as part of a coordinated attack on Muslim civilians in western CAR.
“This conviction is a strong message from the ICC that those responsible for atrocity crimes under the Rome Statute will be brought to justice,” said Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang. “From the battlefield to the inner circles of power, there can be no impunity.”
The court’s verdict follows an extensive investigation and a rigorous trial process that began in 2021. The Prosecution called 75 witnesses and submitted nearly 20,000 pieces of evidence, including audio-visual material and records from NGOs and the UN.
Yekatom, known by aliases including “Rambo” and “Rombhot,” was captured and surrendered to the ICC in November 2018. Ngaïssona was arrested in France the following month and transferred to The Hague in January 2019. Both were tried jointly by Trial Chamber V, composed of Judges Bertram Schmitt, Péter Kovács, and Chang-ho Chung.
The judgment, totaling over 1,600 pages, was described by the ICC as a milestone for victims and a reminder of the importance of protecting civilians in armed conflict.
“This ruling is a vital recognition of the harm suffered by victims and affected communities,” the ICC Prosecutor’s Office said, noting that the outcome was made possible by cooperation from local authorities, civil society, and witnesses in the CAR.
