Reuters/Bangui
The new government of Central African Republic has issued an international arrest warrant against deposed former president Francois Bozize, accusing him of “crimes against humanity and incitement to genocide”, the state prosecutor said yesterday.
Thousands of fighters from the Seleka rebel coalition, angered by what they said was Bozize’s refusal to honour an earlier peace deal, marched into Bangui on March 24, forcing him to flee to neighbouring Cameroon.
The nation’s new leaders opened an investigation last month into alleged crimes committed during his 10-year reign.
Prosecutor Alain Tolmo told journalists in Bangui that the crimes uncovered by the investigation fall under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
However, he did not say if the government planned to ask that Bozize be tried before The Hague court.
“There were multiple assassinations, numbering 22 for the moment, arrests, arbitrary confinements and detentions, the destruction and burning of 3,823 homes, 119 summary executions,” he said.
Bozize will also being sought for alleged economic crimes.
Tolmo said the warrant had been handed over to Interpol and added that more would soon be issued against others involved in his alleged crimes.