Panafrican News Agency

ICC issues arrest warrant against former CAR minister Mahamat Nouradine Adam for alleged war crimes

The Hague, Netherlands (PANA) - The Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant of arrest against Mahamat Nouradine Adam, a former the Minister of Security, Emigration, Immigration and Public Order of the Central African Republic (CAR) for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the context of the situation in the country.

A statement by ICC on Thursday said the warrant had originally been issued under seal on 7 January 2019.

Adam, also known as “Nouredine Adam”, “Nourredine Adam”, “Nureldine Adam”, “Nourreldine Adam” and “Nourreddine Adam”, is a national of the CAR born between 1969 and 1971 in Ndele, CAR, and held that portfolio between 31 March and 22 August 2013, the statement said.

He was also the founder of the Convention des Patriotes pour la Justice et la Paix – Fondamentale (CPJP-F).

ICC said Adam is suspected of crimes against humanity (imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, persecution, enforced disappearance and other inhumane acts) and war crimes (torture and cruel treatment).

These crimes were allegedly committed at the Office Central de Répression du Banditisme (Central Office for the Repression of Banditry) and the Comité Extraordinaire pour la Défense des Acquis Démocratiques  (Extraordinary Committee for the Defence of Democratic Achievements) detention centres in Bangui, between at least 12 April 2013 and at least 27 November 2013.

The Pre-Trial Chamber II said that it may be communicated to any State or international organisation for the purposes of its execution.

"The Chamber also directed the ICC Registrar, Peter Lewis, to prepare a request for cooperation seeking the arrest and surrender of the suspect and transmit, in consultation and coordination with the ICC Prosecutor, the request to the competent authorities of any relevant State, or to any international organisation, to cooperate with the Court for the purpose of executing the request for arrest and surrender of the suspect."  

On 24 September 2014, the Prosecutor opened a second investigation in CAR regarding crimes allegedly committed since 2012.

Three cases have been opened in the context of this investigation for Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona, Mahamat Said Abdel Kani and Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka. 

-0- PANA MA 29July2022