Central African Republic: Mahamat Said found guilty of torture, sentencing to be determined

Judges concluded that Mahamat Said and other officials oversaw beatings and acts of torture against detainees perceived as supporters of former President François Bozizé. Four counts of crimes against humanity were upheld. The defendant had pleaded not guilty and contested all charges.

However, the court dismissed several war crime charges, determining that the armed conflict had already ended at the time of the events in question. A separate hearing will be held to determine the sentence.

The trial focused on the abuses committed at the Central Office for the Suppression of Banditry and involved 32 victims, according to Radio Ndeke Luka. Initial charges related to the Extraordinary Committee for the Defense of Democratic Gains were dropped due to a lack of identified victims.

Arrested in Bria in January 2021, Mahamat Said was transferred to The Hague before his trial began on September 26, 2022. Closing arguments concluded in November 2025. The ICC has yet to set a date for the sentencing hearing.