Military tribunal sets timetable

The prosecutor of Central African Republic's permanent military tribunal, Alain Wabi Bekayi, announced on Wednesday that the court would be sitting in the capital, Bangui, every three months to preside over cases involving military personnel and to contribute to the respect of laws by soldiers. "As we receive new complaints, the tribunal will convene other sessions to deal with them," he said on state-owned Radio Centrafrique. He was speaking at the end of the 15 December 2003-14 January 2004 session of the tribunal. He said that of the 30 cases presented before the tribunal, 25 had been examined and verdicts ranging from acquittals to life-imprisonment rendered. "Most of the convicts were young soldiers who had not yet mastered the rules of the military career," he said, noting that most of the convicts were aged between 18 and 25 years. Those convicted included five former presidential guards who were sentenced to five years of imprisonment for gang-raping a woman in a Bangui military barracks on 28 October 2003. Wabi Bekayi said the tribunal’s session had served to reassure the populations that the impunity that military seemed to enjoy had ended. The tribunal resumed operations in December 2003 after an eight-year suspension by former President Ange-Felix Patasse, who was ousted on 15 March 2003 by Francois Bozize. The tribunal resumed its sessions as the military was being accused of massive human rights violations, including rape, killings and armed robbery. The public perceived the session as Bozize's response to growing misconduct in the military. "The tribunal will help the government discipline its military and restore security," Wabi Bekayi said on 15 December 2003, during the opening of the tribunal’s session.