Central African soccer boss faces war crimes judges
CAF executive, allegedly a former militia leader, was detained while in France on official business
The Hague — The Central African Republic’s top soccer executive came before judges at the International Criminal Court, days after being handed over by France to face allegations of war crimes against the Muslim population of his country. Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona, allegedly a former militia leader, was detained on December 12 while in France on official business, his lawyer told judges. A French court approved his extradition on December 31. He was arrested while on “an official mission order saying he was president of the Central African Football Federation”, lawyer Eric Plouvier told the court. Ngaissona was elected top executive of CAF, Africa’s football governing body, in 2018. International Criminal Court prosecutors accuse Ngaissona, 51, of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, extermination, deportation, persecution, torture, attacking civilians, and recruiting child soldiers. Ngaissona, who earlier denied the charges, spoke only briefly in court to confi...
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