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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Former chief of Patasse's protection force arrested

BANGUI, 13 November 2003 (IRIN) - Central African Republic gendarmes arrested on Wednesday the former commander of ousted President Ange-Felix Patasse's protection forces, Gen. Ferdinand Bombayeke, a government official told IRIN on Thursday.

"He was presented to the prosecutor after his arrest," David Gamou, a spokesman in the Ministry of Justice, said.

Gamou said allegations against Bombayeke had not yet been made public. Bombayeke, an air force general, has been in the French embassy in the capital, Bangui, since 15 March when Francois Bozize seized power from Patasse. He was arrested as he left the embassy for his home, which was looted after Bozize's coup.

Bombayeke, together with several officials of Patasse's administration, sought refuge in the French embassy following the coup. Most of these people returned to their homes weeks later. Some left the country, like former Prime Minister Martin Ziguele who went to France in late May.

On 2 November 2001, during an incursion by Bozize into Bangui, Bombayeke led Libyan warplanes to dislodge combatants loyal to Bozize from Bangui’s northern suburbs. The planes were reported to have killed many civilians and destroyed several homes.

Bombayeke's arrest follows that of the former state minister for communications, Gabriel Jean Edouard Koyambounou, who is also the second deputy chairman of Patasse’s Mouvement de liberation du peuple Centrafricain.

Koyambounou and other former government officials are being held pending prosecution for embezzlement of public funds.

So far, no trial has been set for former officials of the Patasse administration who have been accused of various crimes.

Theme(s): (IRIN) Conflict

[ENDS]

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