By Stephanie van den Berg
THE HAGUE (Reuters) – Two men accused of being leading Christian-dominated militias in widespread attacks on Muslims in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Tuesday rejected all charges against them at the start of their trial at the International Criminal Court.
Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona, a former football manager in Africa who according to prosecutors was a senior leader of the so-called anti-Balaka militias in 2013 and 2014, and Alfred Yekatom, also known as ‘Rambo’, pleaded not guilty to charges related to keep up with attacks on Muslim civilians.
“I do not admit myself at all in the charges against me, I am not guilty,” Ngaissona, 53, said.
The one-time sports minister has been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, persecution and torture.
Prosecutors said Ngaissona was an integral part of the anti-Balaka movement.
“He knew that the group he helped to arm, finance, teach and organize, which by September 2013 was known as the anti-Balaka, would inevitably target the Muslim civilian population of the Western CAR. knew the revenge in them, “prosecutor Kweku Vanderpuye told the court.
Yekatom, 46, is facing similar charges as Ngaissona, as well as additional charges for his alleged use of child soldiers.
The Central African Republic has been caught up in violence since a coalition of mostly northern and predominantly Muslim rebels, known as ‘Seleka’, or ‘alliance’ in the Sango language, took power in March 2013. Their cruel rule gave rise to the opponent against -Balaka Christian militias.
Prosecutors pointed to messages from Facebook pages and gossip groups set up by anti-Balaka groups about the “sacrifice” of Muslims and said they would “soon disappear”.
After initial criticism that the investigation into the CAR was one-sided, with only anti-Balaka leaders in the dock, the ICC announced in January that it had detained the alleged Seleka leader, Mahamat Said Abdel Kain.
The trial begins against a backdrop of fighting between the CAR army, backed by United Nations, Russian and Rwandan troops, and rebels from both militia groups who have formed an alliance with the aim of taking the capital and a vote of 27 December in which President Faustin-Archange Touadera was named the winner.
(Edited by Stephanie van den Berg, edited by Ed Osmond)