News: the release of Maxime Mokom, a former leader of Central African anti-balaka militias
The International Criminal Court (ICC) recently announced the release of Maxime Mokom, a former Central African anti-balaka militia leader, due to the prosecution dropping charges. This decision was justified by the unavailability of witnesses, which made it impossible to continue the case.
Maxime Mokom was suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including attacks on civilians, murder, rape, looting and attacks on mosques, committed between 2013 and 2014. As the leader of anti-military militias -balaka, he was at the head of a self-defense group composed mainly of Christian and animist fighters.
However, the withdrawal of the prosecution’s charges is explained by the unavailability of witnesses. According to ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, several key witnesses could not be heard, leading to the case being unable to proceed. Attempts to interview other potential witnesses were also unsuccessful.
This decision by the ICC was widely criticized by lawyers representing the victims, who consider it a betrayal. The victims are disappointed and struggle to accept this brutal and unilateral decision.
It is important to emphasize that this release does not mean that Maxime Mokom is innocent of the accusations against him. This is simply a dropping of charges for procedural reasons linked to the unavailability of witnesses.
This case highlights the difficulties faced by the ICC in prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity. The pressure placed on witnesses, which results in their unavailability to testify, constitutes a real obstacle to international justice.
Despite this release, Karim Khan insisted that the reopening of the investigation and the issuance of a new arrest warrant were still possible if new evidence was available.
In conclusion, the release of Maxime Mokom raises questions about the effectiveness of international justice in the prosecution of war crimes. The difficulties encountered by the ICC in obtaining reliable and available testimony demonstrate the challenges it faces in ensuring fair justice.