BANGUI: François Bozizé, the former president of the Central African Republic who later became a rebel leader, has been sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment for his involvement in conspiracy and rebellion, as announced by authorities on Friday.
François Bozizé, aged 76, had been in exile in Chad until March before relocating to Guinea Bissau. He currently leads an alliance of rebel groups known as the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), which was formed in December 2020.
The former president, who came to power in the Central African Republic in 2003 but was subsequently overthrown a decade later, was officially sentenced on Thursday, according to a judgment.
François Bozizé’s Sons, 20 Co-accused Receive Life Sentence
In addition to François Bozizé, two of his sons and 20 other co-accused individuals, including rebel leaders, received the same life sentence in absentia. They were also convicted of compromising the internal security of the state and committing “murders,” as stated in the judgment issued by an appeals court in the capital city of Bangui.
The judgment did not provide specific details regarding the timeframe in question or the specific crimes for which they were convicted.
The Central African Republic has been embroiled in a devastating civil conflict since 2013, when armed groups ousted François Bozizé from power. In response, Bozizé established armed militias known as the anti-Balakas in an attempt to regain control.
While the intensity of the conflict has diminished since 2018, the country continues to experience sporadic episodes of violence, and it remains one of the world’s poorest nations.
