Authorities in Chad have handed over former Central African Republic (CAR) militia leader, Maxime Mokom to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Early this week, The Hague-based court said in a statement that Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka, who is suspected of crimes committed in 2013 and 2014 “in Bangui and other locations in the Central African Republic,” was now in its custody.
Mokom was the leader of an anti-Balaka militia and is suspected of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in 2013 and 2014.
His arrest warrant was issued in 2018.
The ICC said Mokom, 43, is suspected of being responsible for extermination, forcible transfer of population, torture, mutilation and enlistment of child soldiers among other crimes.
The Hague-based court said Mokom’s appearance before a pre-trial chamber will take place in due course, according to a statement.
One of the poorest countries in the world, the CAR spiralled into conflict in 2013 when President Francois Bozize was ousted by a rebel coalition called the Seleka, drawn largely from the Muslim minority.
The coup triggered a sectarian bloodbath between “anti-Balaka” forces and Seleka rebels.
Two former anti-Balaka leaders, Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona and Alfred Yekatom, are already on trial at the ICC.
An alleged Seleka leader will go on trial at the ICC in September to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In 2019, he became the country’s Minister of Disarmament and Demobilization.
The ICC said it had “found reasonable grounds” to suspect that Mokom, as the “National Coordinator of Anti-Balaka Operations”, was responsible for crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, arrest and “forcible disappearance”.
On the war crimes front, he is suspected, among other things, of “intentionally directing an attack against civilians” and an attack against humanitarian aid workers as well as recruiting young warriors as young as 15 years old.
“Mokom’s initial appearance… will take place in due course,” it said in its statement.
The ICC, located in The Hague, was established in 2002 to try individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity or acts of genocide.