Closing arguments at the International Criminal Court have renewed focus on two men, accused by prosecutors of having orchestrated acts of brutality in the Central African Republic. Accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the defendants—Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona, once a prominent football administrator, and Alfred Yekatom, known as “Rambo”—are alleged to have led anti-Balaka militias that unleashed a wave of violence against Muslim communities during the turbulence of 2013-2014.
Prosecutors assert that the evidence is overwhelming, and that impunity cannot stand in the face of such deliberate, targeted assaults. Both defendants maintain their innocence, despite witness testimonies and documentation suggesting they oversaw operations involving murder, torture, and widespread harm to civilians.
If convicted, the pair could face life sentences, sending a strong message that instigators of sectarian violence will be held accountable. The trial marks a significant step in addressing the horrors that followed the Seleka’s seizure of power, when families fled, neighborhoods were emptied, and the country’s delicate social fabric tore apart.
Meanwhile, new developments continue to surface. Another arrest warrant has been unsealed, naming an alleged militia commander said to have orchestrated killings of Muslim residents in 2014. Observers hope the proceedings will bring some measure of justice to survivors and help the Central African Republic move closer to a more stable and inclusive future.