Share

CAR ex-militia leader 'Rambo' to face ICC judges

A former Central African militia leader Alfred Yekatom, also known as "Colonel Rambo" will face international war crimes judges for the first time on Friday, the International Criminal Court said.

"The initial appearance of Alfred Yekatom... is scheduled for Friday, November 23, at 11:00 local time," the Hague-based court said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

At Friday's hearing, judges will "verify the identity of the suspect and the language in which he is able to follow the proceedings."

"He will be informed of the charges against him," the ICC added.

Yekatom arrived at the ICC's detention unit over the weekend after being extradited from the Central African Republic where he is suspected of having committed war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder and recruiting child soldiers.

He is accused of leading a group of some 3 000 so-called anti-Balaka militias responsible for attacks on Muslims in the volatile country between December 2013 and August 2014.

Yekatom, who has been an elected MP since 2016, was arrested in October after he drew his gun and fired into the air in the CAR parliament during an altercation.

His transfer is the first since the ICC's chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda opened a probe in 2014 on crimes committed in fighting between Christian and Muslim groups.

One of the world's poorest nations despite a rich supply of diamonds and uranium, the CAR has struggled to recover from a 2013 civil war that erupted when President Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels.

In response, Christians, who account for about 80% of the population, organised vigilante units dubbed "anti-Balaka" in reference to a local machete.

The deadly violence so far has seen thousands killed and more than a quarter of the country's population fleeing their homes, according to UN figures published this year.

* Sign up to News24's top Africa news in your inbox: SUBSCRIBE TO THE HELLO AFRICA NEWSLETTER

FOLLOW News24 Africa on Twitter and Facebook

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
67% - 953 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
33% - 465 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.80
+1.1%
Rand - Pound
23.49
+1.3%
Rand - Euro
20.10
+1.5%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.28
+1.0%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+2.8%
Platinum
923.40
-0.2%
Palladium
957.50
-3.3%
Gold
2,336.75
+0.2%
Silver
27.20
-0.9%
Brent Crude
89.01
+1.1%
Top 40
69,358
+1.3%
All Share
75,371
+1.4%
Resource 10
62,363
+0.4%
Industrial 25
103,903
+1.3%
Financial 15
16,161
+2.2%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE