Former prime minister seeks political asylum in France

The government of the Central African Republic has allowed former Prime Minister Martin Ziguele to travel to France where he has been granted political asylum, state-owned Radio Centrafrique reported on Friday. Ziguele left the capital, Bangui, on Friday. He had been hiding in the French embassy since 15 March when former army chief of staff Francois Bozize overthrew President Ange-Felix Patasse. Ziguele served as prime minister and finance minister between April 2001 and 15 March 2003. Quoting a statement issued by Communications Minister Parfait Mbaye, the radio reported that Ziguele was allowed to leave the country "for humanitarian reasons" and to "create conditions for a true national reconciliation". Mbaye said that although Ziguele was among former officials who had been indicted by a Bangui court for embezzlement of public funds, he had been allowed to leave as investigations continued. Ziguele could later return to put on trial, he said. The new government has blamed mismanagement and embezzlement of funds during Patasse's administration for the non-payment of 32 months salary arrears for the country's civil servants. Soon after the coup, mobs invaded the residences of former government officials, including those of Patasse and Ziguele, which they looted and destroyed. Subsequently, the former officials sought refuge in the French, Nigerian, Chadian and Russian embassies. Bozize later urged those in hiding to return to their homes, assuring them that their security would be guaranteed. The former national assembly speaker, Appolinaire Dondon Konamabaye, and the former minister of state for communications, Gabriel Jean Edouard Koyambounou, heeded Bozize's call and left the embassies. Mbaye said that the issue of Ziguele had become an obstacle for the country's diplomacy. "We have many other issues to tackle together with France; the issue of Ziguele was raised all the time," he said. He added that even the EC had raised the issue with the government The EC is currently in consultations with the Bozize administration over the resumption of cooperation and official recognition for the new government. Ziguele was allowed to leave the country two days after Bozize directed the justice ministry to crack down on former officials linked to corruption and embezzlement of public funds. Bank accounts for 26 former ministers have been frozen, pending judicial investigations. For the time being, Gen Ferdinand Bombayeke, a former commander of Patasse's protection force, remains in the French embassy.