By RFIPalled on 23-09-2019editing the 23-09-2019 at 21:55

On the third day of confirmation hearings of two former anti-balaka militiamen Patrice Ngaissona and Alfred Yekatom before the International Criminal Court (ICC), the lawyers of the victims and those of the two suspects took the floor.

With our correspondent in The Hague , Stéphanie Maupas

On the third day of confirmation hearings of two former anti-balaka militiamen before the International Criminal Court (ICC), the victims' lawyers and the two suspects took the floor. Last week, the prosecution had detailed charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes against Patrice Ngaissona and Alfred Yekatom for their role in the 2013-2014 war in Central Africa. The whole point of these hearings, for the prosecution, is to convince the judges to get them to trial.

Survivors of the anti-balaka attacks, in retaliation for the Seleka militia's crimes, more than a thousand victims lodged a civil case in this case. Their five lawyers have succeeded each other in the courtroom, including the representative of the former child soldiers.

For Dmytro Suprun, more than 2,300 children were enlisted in the year 2014. He therefore asks the court to do them justice " so that, first and foremost, in the eyes of their families and their community, former child soldiers can never be considered criminals again. Nothing can ever make their childhood stolen, but the present proceedings open a hope that will serve as a support in their daily struggle against the nightmare of their lived experience and in their quest for their place in the future life . "

"Criminal Plan"

The next speaker was Alfred Yekatom and Patrice Ngaïssona. Both challenged the credibility of the prosecutor's evidence. Master Knoops, defender of Patrice Ngaissona, denied any involvement of his client in a "criminal plan".

" The Prosecution has not presented to your Chamber a single witness, a single piece of evidence that is concrete and tangible to say that an alleged circle would have met to plan to use anti-balaka groups at meetings in presence of Mr. Ngaïssona, to allow Mr. [François] Bozizé [the former Central African president] to regain power, "he said.

The pleadings should be concluded at the end of the week. The judges will then have sixty days to decide between sending the two suspects to trial or dismissal.

    On the same subject

    Ngaïssona-Yekatom trial: prosecution recalls anti-balaka violence in Bangui

    RCA: ICC looks into charges against Ngaïssona and Yekatom

    In CAR, the frustration of seeing only one party at the helm of the ICC

    Ngaïssona-Yekatom before the ICC: the prosecutor mentions "a criminal plan"

    RCA: In Bangui, about 100 people to attend ICC hearing

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