The Prosecutor v. Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona
Case Sheet · ICC
The Prosecutor v. Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona
| Situation | Situation in the Central African Republic II |
| Case Number | ICC-01/14-01/18 |
| Status | Trial Stage |
Context
Alfred Yekatom, also known as "Rombhot", was a commander of the anti-Balaka militia in the Central African Republic.
Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona was the national coordinator of the anti-Balaka. Both are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Bangui and the west of the Central African Republic between September 2013 and at least February 2014.
The cases were joined on 20 February 2019. On 24 July 2025, Trial Chamber V found both accused guilty and sentenced Yekatom to 15 years and Ngaïssona to 12 years of imprisonment. Both sentences are under appeal.
Pre-Trial - Alfred Yekatom
| Application for Arrest Warrant | 30 October 2018 |
| Arrest Warrant | 11 November 2018 (Secret) · 17 November 2018 (Public) |
| Crimes at Arrest Warrant | Crimes against humanity Crime against humanity of murder · art. 7(1)(a) RS Crime against humanity of deportation or forcible transfer · art. 7(1)(d) RS Crime against humanity of imprisonment · art. 7(1)(e) RS Crime against humanity of torture · art. 7(1)(f) RS Crime against humanity of persecution · art. 7(1)(h) RS Crime against humanity of enforced disappearance · art. 7(1)(i) RS Crime against humanity of other inhumane acts · art. 7(1)(k) RS War crimes War crime of murder · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-1 RS War crime of mutilation · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-2 RS War crime of cruel treatment · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-3 RS War crime of torture · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-4 RS War crime of attacking civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(i) RS War crime of attacking protected objects · art. 8(2)(e)(iv) RS War crime of using, conscripting and enlisting children · art. 8(2)(e)(vii) RS War crime of displacing civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(viii) RS War crime of destroying or seizing the enemy's property · art. 8(2)(e)(xii) RS |
| Arrest and Transfer to ICC | 17 November 2018 · Arrested by CAR |
| Initial Appearance | 23 November 2018 |
Pre-Trial - Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona
| Application for Arrest Warrant | 30 October 2018 |
| Arrest Warrant | 7 December 2018 (Secret) · 13 December 2018 (Public) |
| Crimes at Arrest Warrant | Crimes against humanity Crime against humanity of murder · art. 7(1)(a) RS Crime against humanity of extermination · art. 7(1)(b) RS Crime against humanity of deportation or forcible transfer · art. 7(1)(d) RS Crime against humanity of imprisonment · art. 7(1)(e) RS Crime against humanity of torture · art. 7(1)(f) RS Crime against humanity of persecution · art. 7(1)(h) RS Crime against humanity of enforced disappearance · art. 7(1)(i) RS Crime against humanity of other inhumane acts · art. 7(1)(k) RS War crimes War crime of murder · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-1 RS War crime of mutilation · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-2 RS War crime of cruel treatment · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-3 RS War crime of torture · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-4 RS War crime of attacking civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(i) RS War crime of attacking personnel involved in a humanitarian or peacekeeping mission · art. 8(2)(e)(iii) RS War crime of attacking protected objects · art. 8(2)(e)(iv) RS War crime of pillaging · art. 8(2)(e)(v) RS War crime of using, conscripting and enlisting children · art. 8(2)(e)(vii) RS War crime of displacing civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(viii) RS War crime of destroying or seizing the enemy's property · art. 8(2)(e)(xii) RS |
| Arrest and Transfer to ICC | 12 December 2018 · Arrested by France · Transferred to ICC 23 January 2019 |
| Initial Appearance | 25 January 2019 |
Joint Pre-Trial
| Joinder of Cases | 20 February 2019 |
| Crimes at Document Containing Charges | Alfred Yekatom Crimes against humanity Crime against humanity of murder · art. 7(1)(a) RS Crime against humanity of deportation or forcible transfer · art. 7(1)(d) RS Crime against humanity of imprisonment · art. 7(1)(e) RS Crime against humanity of torture · art. 7(1)(f) RS Crime against humanity of persecution · art. 7(1)(h) RS Crime against humanity of other inhumane acts · art. 7(1)(k) RS War crimes War crime of murder · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-1 RS War crime of mutilation · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-2 RS War crime of cruel treatment · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-3 RS War crime of torture · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-4 RS War crime of attacking civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(i) RSWar crime of attacking protected objects · art. 8(2)(e)(iv) RS War crime of using, conscripting and enlisting children · art. 8(2)(e)(vii) RS War crime of displacing civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(viii) RS War crime of destroying or seizing the enemy's property · art. 8(2)(e)(xii) RS Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona Crimes against humanity Crime against humanity of murder · art. 7(1)(a) RS Crime against humanity of extermination · art. 7(1)(b) RS Crime against humanity of deportation or forcible transfer · art. 7(1)(d) RS Crime against humanity of imprisonment · art. 7(1)(e) RS Crime against humanity of torture · art. 7(1)(f) RS Crime against humanity of rape · art. 7(1)(g)-1 RS Crime against humanity of persecution · art. 7(1)(h) RS Crime against humanity of other inhumane acts · art. 7(1)(k) RS War crimes War crime of murder · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-1 RS War crime of mutilation · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-2 RS War crime of cruel treatment · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-3 RS War crime of torture · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-4 RS War crime of outrages upon personal dignity · art. 8(2)(c)(ii) RSWar crime of attacking civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(i) RS War crime of attacking protected objects · art. 8(2)(e)(iv) RS War crime of pillaging · art. 8(2)(e)(v) RS War crime of rape · art. 8(2)(e)(vi)-1 RS War crime of using, conscripting and enlisting children · art. 8(2)(e)(vii) RS War crime of displacing civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(viii) RS War crime of destroying or seizing the enemy's property · art. 8(2)(e)(xii) RS |
| Confirmation of Charges Hearing | 2 - 5 September 2019 |
| Result of Confirmation of Charges | 11 December 2019 · Charges partially confirmed |
| Crimes Confirmed | Alfred Yekatom Crimes against humanity Crime against humanity of murder · art. 7(1)(a) RS Crime against humanity of deportation or forcible transfer · art. 7(1)(d) RS Crime against humanity of imprisonment · art. 7(1)(e) RS Crime against humanity of torture · art. 7(1)(f) RS Crime against humanity of persecution · art. 7(1)(h) RS Crime against humanity of other inhumane acts · art. 7(1)(k) RS War crimes War crime of murder · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-1 RS War crime of cruel treatment · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-3 RS War crime of torture · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-4 RS War crime of attacking civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(i) RS War crime of attacking protected objects · art. 8(2)(e)(iv) RS War crime of using, conscripting and enlisting children · art. 8(2)(e)(vii) RS War crime of displacing civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(viii) RS Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona Crimes against humanity Crime against humanity of murder · art. 7(1)(a) RS Crime against humanity of deportation or forcible transfer · art. 7(1)(d) RS Crime against humanity of imprisonment · art. 7(1)(e) RS Crime against humanity of torture · art. 7(1)(f) RS Crime against humanity of rape · art. 7(1)(g)-1 RS Crime against humanity of persecution · art. 7(1)(h) RS Crime against humanity of other inhumane acts · art. 7(1)(k) RS War crimes War crime of murder · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-1 RS War crime of cruel treatment · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-3 RS War crime of torture · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-4 RS War crime of attacking civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(i) RS War crime of attacking protected objects · art. 8(2)(e)(iv) RS War crime of pillaging · art. 8(2)(e)(v) RS War crime of rape · art. 8(2)(e)(vi)-1 RS War crime of displacing civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(viii) RS War crime of destroying or seizing the enemy's property · art. 8(2)(e)(xii) RS |
Trial
| Trial Chamber | Trial Chamber V · Judges: Judge Bertram Schmitt (Presiding), Judge Judge Péter Kovács, Judge Chang-ho Chung, Judge Beti Hohler (Alternate Judge) |
| Trial Opening | 16 February 2021 |
| Trial Judgment | 24 July 2025 |
| Crimes at Trial Judgment | Alfred Yekatom Crimes against humanity Crime against humanity of murder · art. 7(1)(a) RS Crime against humanity of deportation or forcible transfer · art. 7(1)(d) RS Crime against humanity of imprisonment · art. 7(1)(e) RS Crime against humanity of torture · art. 7(1)(f) RS Crime against humanity of persecution · art. 7(1)(h) RS Crime against humanity of other inhumane acts · art. 7(1)(k) RS War crimes War crime of murder · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-1 RS War crime of cruel treatment · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-3 RS War crime of torture · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-4 RS War crime of attacking civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(i) RS War crime of attacking protected objects · art. 8(2)(e)(iv) RS War crime of displacing civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(viii) RS Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona Crimes against humanity Crime against humanity of murder · art. 7(1)(a) RS Crime against humanity of deportation or forcible transfer · art. 7(1)(d) RS Crime against humanity of imprisonment · art. 7(1)(e) RS Crime against humanity of torture · art. 7(1)(f) RS Crime against humanity of persecution · art. 7(1)(h) RS Crime against humanity of other inhumane acts · art. 7(1)(k) RS War crimes War crime of murder · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-1 RS War crime of cruel treatment · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-3 RS War crime of torture · art. 8(2)(c)(i)-4 RS War crime of attacking civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(i) RS War crime of attacking protected objects · art. 8(2)(e)(iv) RS War crime of displacing civilians · art. 8(2)(e)(viii) RS War crime of destroying or seizing the enemy's property · art. 8(2)(e)(xii) RS |
| Sentence | Alfred Yekatom 15 years of imprisonment Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona 12 years of imprisonment |
Appeal
| Appeals Chamber | Judges: Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa (Presiding), Judge Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza, Judge Kimberly Prost, Judge Gocha Lordkipanidze, Judge Erdenebalsuren Damdin |
| Appeals Filed by | Both |
| Appeal Judgment | Pending |
Reparations
| Reparations Proceeding | Ongoing |
Key Documents
| Warrant of Arrest (Yekatom) | Warrant of Arrest (2018) |
| Warrant of Arrest (Ngaïssona) | Warrant of Arrest (2018) |
| Decision on joinder | Decision Joining the Cases of Yekatom and Ngaïssona (2019) |
| Document Containing Charges | Document Containing Charges (2019) |
| Confirmation of Charges Decision | Decision on Confirmation of Charges (2019) |
| Trial Judgment | Trial Judgment (2025) |
| ICC Case Page | Official ICC page |