CAR Court Ends Two-Year Trial Suspension

The main court in the Central African Republic said it had resumed criminal trials on Monday after a two-year halt that kept suspects in prolonged custody and worsened prison overcrowding.

The suspension, blamed on financial difficulties, created a backlog of cases awaiting trial and prolonged pretrial custody for many suspects, said the court in the CAR capital, Bangui.

Justice Minister Arnaud Djoubaye Abazene said last week the resumption of hearings also aimed to reduce overcrowding in Bangui’s prisons.

Central African Republic Resumes Criminal Trials. Credit: Debout/AFP via Getty Images.

“The suspension was mainly due to the economic situation,” Jean Vidal Damas, the court’s attorney general, told AFP.

The current session, which will take place from August 3 to 31, is one of two regular criminal sessions mandated by law each year.

The court will hear around 30 cases, including allegations of homicide, rapes, economic crimes such as embezzling public funds and attempts to undermine state security.

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Jimisayo Opanuga

Jimisayo Opanuga is a web writer in the Digital Department at News Central TV, where she covers African and international stories. Her reporting focuses on social issues, health, justice, and the environment, alongside general-interest news. She is passionate about telling stories that inform the public and give voice to underreported communities.