Mahamat Said Abdel Kani found guilty of crimes against humanity committed in Central African Republic
Today, 23 September 2026, Trial Chamber VI of the International Criminal Court ("ICC" or "the Court”) found Mahamat Said Abdel Kani guilty of crimes against humanity committed in Central African Republic in 2013.
After analyzing the evidence submitted at trial, the judges found Mr Said guilty beyond any reasonable doubt for the crimes against humanity of imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, persecution and other inhumane acts. These crimes were committed at the Office Central de Répression du Banditisme (‘OCRB’) in Bangui (Central African Republic) between 12 April and 30 August 2013. The Chamber found that, in light of his role and functions as the Seleka commander in charge of the OCRB, Mr Said acted with the necessary intent and knowledge, and convicted him as a direct co-perpetrator of these crimes. The Chamber did not find Mr Said guilty beyond reasonable doubt for the war crimes of torture, cruel treatment, and outrages upon personal dignity.
Delivering the judgment, the Presiding judge acknowledged the suffering and trauma of the victims of the incidents who testified about the long-lasting impact of the crimes on them, their families and their lives. The persons detained at the OCRB gave evidence that they continue to suffer physical and psychological harm as a result of their detention and abuse.
Next steps: The Defence and the Prosecution may appeal the verdict within 30 days. Following the verdict, the Chamber will decide on Mr Said's sentence. In a decision issued today, the judges announced the timeline for the sentencing proceedings. A reparations process will also begin, for the victims of the crimes for which Mr Said was convicted.
Background: The trial in this case opened on 26 September 2022. The Prosecution concluded its presentation of evidence on 15 November 2024. On 17 March 2025, the Defence called its first witness and concluded its presentation of evidence on 2 September 2025. The Prosecution, Legal Representative of Victims and Defence submitted their Closing Briefs. The trial’s Closing Statements took place from 25-27 November 2025. Over the course of 130 trial hearings, the Chamber heard 58 witnesses called by the Prosecution and 3 witnesses called by the Defence. A total of 3,863 items of evidence were recognised as formally submitted into evidence. 32 victims represented by their legal counsel Sarah Pellet, have been granted the right to participate in the proceedings. Throughout the trial, the Judges ensured that the rights guaranteed by the Rome Statute to each of the parties were respected. Trial Chamber VI composed of Judge Miatta Maria Samba (Presiding Judge), Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera, Judge Sergio Gerardo Ugalde Godínez and Judge Keebong Paek (Alternate Judge).
For further information on this case, check here.
Trial Judgment
Non-authoritative summary of the verdict read in Court
Questions and Answers on the verdict: English; Français; Sango
Photographs of the hearing
Audio-visual materials:
Verdict in the Said case, full hearing, 23 September 2026
- YouTube (for viewing): English; Français; Sango
- Video (MPEG-4) for download: English; Français; Sango
- Audio (MPEG-3) for download: English; Français; Sango
For further information, please contact the ICC Public Affairs Unit: [email protected] . You can also follow the Court’s activities on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Flickr.
Lâsô, längö 23 tî nze tî mvuka tî ngû 2026, Kubû tî kôzo-mbätä tî 4 nî tî Dangbanga tî Pöpö-ködörö tëtî Gino (“ CPI” wala “Dangbanga”) abâa atene Mahamat Said Abdel Kani ayeke wakpälë wala ‘coupable’ tî gino tî halëzo sô asï na Ködörö-sêse tî Bê-Afrîka na ngû 2013.
Na pekô tî sô sï âzûzi aweseka yâ tî âlêyêfandâ sô afa na gbelê âla, âla bâa sô Mahamat Said Abdel Kani ayeke wakpälë wala ‘coupable’ tî âgino töngana bïngö zo na kânga, wala âmbênî âsïönî âlêgë tî kängängö lêgë na zo tî dutï yamba, nönöngö zo, köndëngö zo ngâ na âmbênî âyê tî bïngö nenêe tî zo, sô alîngbi tî bâa nî töngana âgino tî halëzo, sï âla tënë kîte nî ayeke dä pëpe. Âgino sô kûê asâra nî na OCRB na Bangui (Ködörö-sêse tî Bê-Afrîka) tî löndö na längö 12 tî nze tî ngubë tî sï na längö 30 tî kükürü tî ngû tî 2013. Kubû abâa sô na lêgë tî kâmba tî lo tî kötäzo na yâ tî Seleka sô ayeke na ndö tî OCRB, pakara Said ahînga länî pendere âyê kûê sô lo yeke sâra, sï kubû nî adë-ngbanga na li tî lo töngana ôko tî âla sô asâra âgino nî. Na mbâgë, kubû awara tënë pëpe na li tî pakara Said sô zo alîngbi tî mänabê na nî sô abâa tënë tî gino tî birä tongâna nönöngö zo, särängö sanä na zo, ngâ na särängö sïönî na nenêe tî zo.
Na dëngö pulêlê ngbanga nî, Zûzi-makönzi ahînga bîanî pâsi na ponö tî âzo sô kpälë sô asï na âla, sô sï âla fa nî na gbelê ngbanga, sï âla yeke bâa ngâ pâsi na nï ngbêne yê sô sï kpälë sô asï na âla, na âsëwä tî âla, ngâ na gîgî tî âla mvenî. Âzo sô akânga âla na OCRB, âla fa na gîgî na gbelê ngbanga sô âla ngbâ lakûê tî hü ponö na yâ mî-telê tî âla, ngâ na yâ tî li tî âla na pekô tî asïönî ayê sô asâra na âla na da tî kânga nî.
Kâpä tî pekô nî: Awakokö ngâ na Watömbä ayeke na ngura tî dë-irä na ndö tî dëngö-ngbanga sô na yâ tî längö 30. Fadë ngbanga ayeke tondâ tî gbû li tî lo ngâ na ndö tî lëkëngö pekô-kpälë tî âzo sô abâa pâsi tî âgino sô adë-ngbanga nî na ndö tî pakara Said.
Mbai tî ngbanga nî: Fängö ngbanga na ndö tî kpälë sô atöndânî na längö 26 tî nze tî mvuka tî ngû 2022. Watömbä hûnzi fängö âyêfandâ tî lo na längö 15 tî nze tî nabändulü tî ngû 2024. Na längö 17 tî nze tî mbângö tî ngû 2025, âwakokö aîri kôzo wakambisa tî âla, sï âla hûnzi fängö âyêfandâ tî âla na längö 2 tî nze tî mvuka tî ngû 2025. Na pekô nî, Watömbä, âwasêlêndiä ngâ na âwakokö ato na kubû âkôndâlö tî âla. Lêngbanga tî köngö ndâ tî ngbanga nî atambûla na längö 25 tî sï na längö 27 tî nze tî nabändulü ngû 2025. Na tângo tî âlêngbanga 130 sô atambûla, Kubû amä âtënë sô âwakambisa 58 tî Watömbä ngâ na âwakambisa 3 tî awakokö atene. Wüngö tî alëyêfandâ ayeke 3863 sô âzûzi ahînga atene afa nî na gbelê ngbanga tî âla. Na mbâgë, wüngö tî âwapâsi 32 sô sï wasêlêndiä tî âla ayeke Sarah Pellet awara lêgë tî dutï na yâ tî kua-ngbanga sô. Na tângo kûê tî ngbanga nî, âzûzi asâra kûê tî tënë âwangbanga nî asâra yê alîngbi na ngura sô Mbelegü tî Rome amû na zo ôko na ôko. Âzûzi sô ayeke na yâ tî Kubû tî kôzo-mbätä tî 4 nî ayeke zûzi Miatta Maria Samba (Zûzi-makönzi), zûzi María del Socorro Flores Liera, zûzi Sergio Gerardo Ugalde Godínez ngâ na zûzi Keebong Paek (kötï zûzi).
Tî wara âmbënî âsango na ndö tî lökpälë sô, pete ge.
Ndurü tënë tî dëngö ngbanga sô adîko nî na lêngbanga (sô ayeke na ngangü tî ndiä pëpe)
Hûnda-Kïrïngö tënë na ndô tî dëngö ngbanga: anglais ; français ; sango
Âlimo tî sînga-lê:
Dëngö ngbanga na ndô tî lökpälë sô akpo Said, lêngbanga nî kûê, 23 mvuka 2026