UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe – Karim Khan, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), before the Security Council (archive photo).
New York, USA, October 20, 2023 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/-The International Criminal Court (ICC) ended its proceedings and ordered this Tuesday the immediate release of the National Coordinator of anti-balaka operations in the Central African Republic, Maxime Mokom, who was released from detention the same day.
The Court acted on the notice issued on October 16 by ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan. The latter after considering all the evidence in the Mokom case and in light of a change in circumstances regarding the availability of witnesses, informed the judges that there was no longer a reasonable prospect of conviction at trial, even if the charges were confirmed.
Prosecutor Khan made this decision based on his “objective assessment of the evidence and guided by the interests of fairness and justice and his overriding responsibilities as an officer of the Court”, emphasizing that his Office remained steadfast in its commitment to only prosecuting cases with a realistic prospect of conviction.
Decision “guided by the law and the evidence”
“I am fully aware that this news may be unwelcome for many survivors and their families. I am grateful to all those who cooperated with my Office and salute their courage and resilience. I hope that many will understand my legal and ethical responsibilities to be guided by the law and the evidence. I hope they will be reassured that I am convinced that the decision I made is the right one in this case,” the Prosecutor said.
Mr. Khan also reiterated that his decision to withdraw the charges against Mr. Mokom would not prevent the Office from seeking a new arrest warrant if more emerge regarding crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the Court regarding the situation in the Republic Central African Republic (CAR).
Suspected of crimes against humanity
Mr. Mokom was suspected of crimes against humanity and alleged war crimes committed in the Central African Republic from at least December 5, 2013, until at least the end of April 2014.
On March 14, 2022, Mr. Mokom was handed over to the ICC by the authorities of Chad, pursuant to an ICC arrest warrant issued against him in December 2018 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. allegedly committed in the Central African Republic. Mr. Mokom was handed over to the ICC on March 14, 2022.
On March 22, 2022, Maxime Mokom made his first appearance before the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber.
The confirmation hearing in this case began on August 22, 2023, but was not yet concluded, as the parties had yet to file their written submissions on the merits.
The charges against Mr. Mokom included intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population (as a war crime), murder (as a war crime and a crime against humanity), rape (as a war crime and crime against humanity), intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion (as a war crime), destroying an adversary’s property (as a war crime), pillaging (as a crime war), deportation or forced transfer of population (as a war crime and crime against humanity), serious deprivation of physical liberty (as a crime against humanity) and persecution (as a crime against humanity) .
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) for UN Info.
Source : African Media Agency (AMA)