The International Criminal Court (ICC) has convicted two senior leaders of the Christian “Anti-Balaka” militia in the Central African Republic, sentencing them to prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Military commander Alfred Yekatom, known as “Rambo,” was sentenced to 15 years in prison, while the group’s general coordinator, Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona, received a 12-year sentence.
The verdict followed a three-year trial during which nearly 2,000 victims testified before the court.
Evidence revealed the defendants’ direct involvement in a systematic campaign of violence against Muslim civilians in the western part of the country between 2013 and 2014, including killings, torture, forced displacement, destruction of mosques, and religious persecution.
The court emphasized that the roots of the conflict were political, though both sides exploited religious rhetoric for political gain—especially after the Muslim-majority Séléka coalition seized the capital, Bangui.
To strengthen victims’ trust in international justice, the ICC broadcast the sentencing live in several cities across the Central African Republic.
This ruling marks a major legal precedent in a region plagued by recurring violence. The convicts will be transferred to a prison in another country to serve their sentences, with the option to appeal.
