January 25 – French authorities have handed a leading African football administrator Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona over to the International Criminal Court in The Hague where he faces war crimes charges. He was transferred to the Netherlands on Wednesday.
Ngaissona was arrested last year in France on an ICC warrant. He sits on the board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The 51-year-old is accused of coordinating anti-Balaka militia which emerged after civil war broke out in Central African Republic (CAR) in 2013.
The CAR was plunged into turmoil in 2013 when predominately Muslim rebels from the Seleka group seized power in the majority Christian country. Ngaissona has denied all allegations. He was the former head of CAR’s football federation and was elected to the executive board of the CAF general assembly in February.
The ICC said in a statement: “This transfer followed the completion of necessary national proceedings in France.”
Ngaissona’s December arrest came a few weeks after Alfred Yekatom, another suspected militia leader, was detained in CAR and transferred to The Hague.
Ngaissona was an associate and supporter of FIFA president Gianni Infantino and CAF president Ahmad Ahmad.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1714031947labto1714031947ofdlr1714031947owedi1714031947sni@o1714031947fni1714031947