The International Criminal Court has convicted former Seleka rebel commander Mahamat Said Abdel Kani of crimes against humanity for torturing and abusing prisoners in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, more than a decade ago.
Judges in The Hague on Wednesday found Said guilty on four counts, including torture and persecution. Prosecutors accused him of running a prison in Bangui where suspected supporters of then-president François Bozizé were beaten and tortured.
They dismissed several war crimes charges, after finding that the armed conflict had already ended when the alleged crimes were committed.
The charges stemmed from fighting after the predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in 2013, ousting then-president François Bozizé. Their rule gave rise to the anti-Balaka, mainly Christian militias formed in opposition to the Seleka.
Said denied all charges.
Prisoners detained under his watch testified that they were held in a windowless room beneath the floorboards of Said’s office.
Witnesses also described cramped prison cells with walls marked by “bullet holes and blood” and prisoners being whipped “until they soiled themselves”, presiding judge Miatta Maria Samba said.
Said showed no reaction as the verdict was read out. His sentence, which could be life in prison, will be decided at a later date.
Wider fight for justice
Marius Olivier Trésor Poussinga, who was tortured at the Bangui facility, told the Associated Press that the verdict amounted to “international recognition” of Said’s crimes.
“Today, I can sleep easier because the court has acknowledged my suffering,” Poussinga said.
Central African Republic justice minister Arnaud Djoubaye Abazène also welcomed the ruling.
“Justice cannot be reversed in the Central African Republic,” Abazène said. “No victim will be left behind, and justice will be delivered at every level.”
The conviction was a “significant milestone in the fight against impunity” said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch, in a statement.
“The verdict is also a stark reminder of the ongoing abuses in the country,” Mudge added, calling for greater support for international and domestic justice efforts.
Said is the first Seleka member convicted by the ICC, which has investigated violence in the country since 2014. Two senior anti-Balaka leaders were convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity in July 2025.
Court under threat
The Special Criminal Court (SCC) in the Central African Republic has indicted more than 30 people over war crimes and other human rights abuses committed since 2003. Nearly all are in custody.
However, the SCC faces possible closure after the Trump administration withdrew United States funding last year.
Closing the court would be catastrophic for justice in the Central African Republic, Amnesty International warned. Its regional director for West and Central Africa, Marceau Sivieude, said national courts could not as yet take over its work.
“Despite the authorities’ efforts, national courts still lack the resources and capacity to assume the mandate the SCC has been carrying out,” Sivieude said.
Supporters are urging the United Nations and the European Union to help extend the court’s mandate and provide funding.
(with newswires)
