Maxime Mokom was transferred to the International Criminal Court on Monday from Chad, where he was arrested at the end of February. This anti-balaka leader is being prosecuted for crimes against humanity and war crimes, committed in 2013 and 2014 in the Central African Republic.
as reported from The Hague, Stephanie Maupas
Maxime Mokom was the subject of a secret arrest warrant, issued against him by ICC judges in December 2018. Three months later, he was appointed Minister of Disarmament, despite allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes, issued by the prosecutor.
The list of crimes he is suspected of is long: murder, extermination, forced population transfer, torture, persecution, forced disappearances, mutilations, cruel treatment … and many more. According to the court’s statement, anti-balaka have carried out attacks on the Muslim civilian population, suspected of being accomplices to Seleka. Seleka, who had overthrown President François Bozizé in 2013, of which Maxime Mokom is close.
He is the fourth Central African official to be placed behind the ICC’s grid. He finds in prison in particular Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona, former political coordinator for anti-Balakas, whose trial is still ongoing before the ICC. Maxime Mokom’s first appearance before the court judge should take place in the coming days.
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