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War crimes court joins cases of CAR militiamen

The International Criminal Court in The Hague said Wednesday it will combine the cases of two ex-militiamen, including senior football official Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona, for war crimes allegedly committed in the Central African Republic (CAR).

Ngaissona and Alfred Yekatom stand accused over murders, torture, enlistment of child soldiers, and other war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed as civil war engulfed the CAR 2013 and 2014.

“In the Chamber’s view, joint proceedings against Mr Yekatom and Mr Ngaissona will serve to enhance the fairness and expeditiousness of the proceedings by avoiding the duplication of evidence, inconsistency in the presentation and assessment of evidence, undue impact on witnesses and victims, and unnecessary expense,” a court statement said.

Ngaissona, a former CAR sports minister who sits on the board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is charged with coordinating so-called anti-Balaka militia which emerged after civil war broke out in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2013.

The head of the CAR football association was arrested in France on December 12 on an ICC warrant, and extradited to The Hague in January.

The Balaka militia he was allegedly involved with were set up to defend Christian communities from mostly Muslim rebels during the conflict in his country.

The militia are accused of a host of human rights abuses including mass killings and mutilations.

Yekatom, also known as Colonel Rambo, faces 14 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder, mutilation, torture, cruel treatment and recruiting child soldiers into his so-called anti-Balaka militia group.

The group is accused of attacks on Muslims between December 2013 and August 2014.

A hearing will be held on June 18 to confirm charges against the men, one of the final steps before a trial can be held, the ICC statement said.