Mahamat Saïd Abdel Kani, a former head of the Séléka, will receive his verdict from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, on Wednesday, September 23. He has been detained and undergoing proceedings in The Hague, Netherlands, for over four years, facing prosecution for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The alleged facts occurred in the Central African capital of Bangui between April 2013 and January 2014. Mr. Saïd is the first high-ranking Séléka official to be tried by the ICC for alleged crimes committed during the Central African crisis. Mahamat Saïd Abdel Kani will learn his fate on this key Wednesday.
Allegations and Legal Proceedings
Mahamat Saïd Abdel Kani was initially prosecuted for alleged crimes committed at the Office central de répression du banditisme (OCRB) and the Comité extraordinaire de défense des acquis démocratiques (CEDAD). Judges later abandoned the charges related to CEDAD, citing a lack of identified victims. The current charges now exclusively relate to alleged facts committed at the OCRB, concerning 32 victims. According to the prosecution, Mahamat Saïd allegedly participated in acts of torture, illegal detentions, persecutions, and other violence. These actions purportedly targeted individuals suspected of supporting former president François Bozizé. The alleged facts concerning these charges were committed specifically between April 2013 and January 2014. The prosecution further accuses him of supervising these atrocities, directly participating in the capture of civilians, and failing to protect detainees under his responsibility. Mahamat Saïd has consistently pleaded not guilty since the commencement of the proceedings.
Defense Arguments and Verdict Stakes
Mahamat Saïd Abdel Kani's trial opened on September 26, 2022, with final pleas presented on November 25 and 26, 2025. During these proceedings, the Prosecutor's Office, the legal representative of the victims, and the defense each presented their arguments before the Chamber. Mahamat Saïd's lawyers argued that their client, as director of the OCRB, acted within his official duties among the authorities in place after the Séléka seized power. They stated that his actions aimed to restore order in a context of security crisis and requested his acquittal. The upcoming verdict will determine if the judges find the presented evidence establishes his criminal responsibility. In the event of a conviction, a subsequent hearing will be scheduled to determine the sentence. Should he be acquitted, Mahamat Saïd could be released, though this would be subject to potential other proceedings.
Context and Wider Implications
The decision is particularly awaited in the Central African Republic (RCA), and the local office of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Bangui will broadcast the verdict live. Mahamat Saïd Abdel Kani was arrested in Bria in January 2021 before being transferred to The Hague a few days later. The ICC has previously addressed crimes committed by other factions in the conflict. Two leaders of the rival Anti-Balaka militia, Patrice Edouard Ngaïssona and Alfred Yekatom Rombhot, have been convicted in the first instance, receiving sentences of 15 and 20 years in prison, respectively. In contrast, the trial of Maxime Mokom, another Anti-Balaka member, was abandoned due to a lack of witnesses and victims, noting the complexities of international prosecutions.