Trial begins in Bangui for former Central African Republic leader Bozizé over alleged crimes against humanity

The UN-backed Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic has begun the trial in absentia of former president François Bozizé in Bangui. The case concerns alleged crimes against humanity, including murder, enforced disappearances, torture and rape. Bozizé is not in custody and has been living in exile in Guinea-Bissau since March 2023.

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The court says three former senior military officers - Eugene Barret Ngaikosset, Vianney Semndiro and Firmin Junior Danboy - are in pre-trial detention in the Central African Republic. In 2024, the Special Criminal Court issued an international arrest warrant for Bozizé as part of its investigation into alleged abuses linked to his Presidential Guard. Judges said there was serious and consistent evidence that could make him criminally liable as a hierarchical superior and military leader.

The Special Criminal Court is a hybrid tribunal in Bangui with Central African and foreign judges. It was created to investigate war crimes and other serious abuses committed since 2003, reflecting the scale of violence the country has faced over more than two decades. Bozizé seized power in a 2003 coup and was overthrown 10 years later by rebels, a period that fed into wider instability and armed conflict.

The proceedings are significant because they involve a former head of state facing allegations of serious international crimes before a domestic court with international support. The case also comes against the backdrop of the 2013 overthrow of Bozizé by the Seleka coalition, which helped trigger civil war in the Central African Republic. Bozizé later set up armed groups known as anti-Balakas in an effort to regain power, deepening the conflict and the fragmentation of armed groups.

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The court's mandate covers abuses committed during this long period of violence, and the current trial is part of a broader effort to address crimes that have remained largely unpunished. The allegations concern conduct by Bozizé's security forces in a civilian prison and a military training centre in the central town of Bossembele. The case is therefore both a legal test and a measure of how far the country's justice system can pursue accountability for past abuses.

What remains unclear is how the in absentia trial will proceed in practice and whether Bozizé will ever be brought before the court. It is also not clear whether the testimony and evidence presented will lead to further action against other figures named in the investigation. The next developments to watch are the court's opening statements, any response from Bozizé or his representatives, and whether the proceedings produce new findings on the chain of command behind the alleged abuses.

The UN-backed Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic is due to begin the trial in absentia of former president François Bozizé in Bangui on Tuesday. The case concerns alleged crimes against humanity committed between 2009 and 2013. Bozizé, who is 79, is not in custody and has been living in exile in Guinea-Bissau since March 2023.

The court says the allegations relate to conduct by members of Bozizé's security forces, including murder, enforced disappearance, torture and rape. Three former senior military officers - Eugene Barret Ngaikosset, Vianney Semndiro and Firmin Junior Danboy - are in pre-trial detention in the Central African Republic. In February 2024, the Special Criminal Court issued an international arrest warrant for Bozizé as part of its investigation into possible crimes against humanity linked to his Presidential Guard.

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The Special Criminal Court is a hybrid tribunal based in the capital, with both Central African and foreign judges. It was created to investigate war crimes and other serious abuses committed since 2003, reflecting the scale of violence the country has faced over more than two decades. Bozizé seized power in a 2003 coup and was overthrown 10 years later by rebels, a period that fed into wider instability and armed conflict.

The proceedings are significant because they involve a former head of state facing allegations of serious international crimes before a domestic court with international support. The court's judges previously said there was serious and consistent evidence that could make Bozizé criminally liable as a hierarchical superior and military leader. That makes the case one of the most prominent tests of accountability in the Central African Republic's post-conflict justice process.

The wider background also includes the 2013 overthrow of Bozizé by the Seleka coalition, which helped trigger a civil war. Bozizé later set up militias known as anti-Balakas in an effort to regain power, deepening the conflict and the fragmentation of armed groups. The court's mandate covers abuses committed during this long period of violence, and the current trial is part of that broader effort to address crimes that have remained largely unpunished.

What remains unclear is how the in absentia trial will proceed in practice and whether the former president will ever be brought before the court. It is also not clear whether the testimony and evidence presented will lead to further action against other figures named in the investigation. The next developments to watch are the opening of the hearing in Bangui, any statement from the court, and whether the proceedings produce new findings on the chain of command behind the alleged abuses.

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