ICC convicts former Central African rebel commander over prison abuses
The International Criminal Court convicted Mahamat Said Abdel Kani on four counts of crimes against humanity linked to torture and unlawful imprisonment in Bangui during the Central African Republic’s 2013 conflict. He was acquitted of three war-crimes counts, while the court postponed sentencing.
The International Criminal Court has convicted former Central African Republic rebel commander Mahamat Said Abdel Kani on four counts of crimes against humanity, including torture and unlawful imprisonment. The court found that Said, 56, oversaw beatings and other mistreatment while leading a feared prison unit as the Central African Republic descended into civil war in 2013. Prosecutors said abuses took place at the Central Office for the Repression of Banditry detention centre in the capital, Bangui.
Said was acquitted of three counts of war crimes. Channels Television reported that he shook his head several times in court as presiding judge Miatta Maria Samba set out the crimes for which he was convicted. The International Criminal Court will determine his sentence at a later date.
The source material does not give a date for sentencing or further details of the acquittals.
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