Authorities in the Central African Republic have arrested Armel Sayo, a rebel leader and former minister, on war crimes charges.
Sayo, 45, was detained in Cameroon earlier this year while attempting to board a flight to France, local media reported. He was transferred to the Central African Republic on Monday and is now in custody.
He leads the Military Coalition for the Salvation of the People and Recovery (CMSPR), a group accused of orchestrating attacks against the army. Sayo previously held ministerial posts in various governments, deepening the gravity of his alleged crimes.
Prosecutors formally escalated efforts to secure his transfer following a brutal raid in the northern Markounda region, widely attributed to the CMSPR.
“A judicial investigation has been opened against him on charges of criminal association, war crimes, crimes against humanity and rebellion,” the prosecutor’s office announced on Friday.
Several of Sayo’s associates have also been detained in connection with the same case, according to the statement.
Since gaining independence in 1960, the Central African Republic has endured a relentless cycle of violence and political instability. Despite military support from Russian Wagner Group mercenaries and Rwandan forces, armed conflict remains entrenched in the country’s northwest and east.
Sayo’s arrest marks a rare high-profile detention in a nation where warlords often operate with impunity. As judicial proceedings begin, the country watches closely, yearning for justice in a land long scarred by conflict.