BANGUI, 16 February, 2021 (TON): The former head of the Central African Republic (CAR) football federation, Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona is set to go on trial for war crimes at the International Criminal Court.

He also faces crimes against humanity charges, which he denies, the media reported.

Assisting and coordinating attacks against the country’s Muslim population in 2012-14, Ngaissona and Alfred Yekatom are accused.

The International Criminal Court alleges Yekatom was responsible for murder, torture, attacking civilians, and using child fighters as a former militia leader of the anti-Balaka group.

However, he denies the allegations.

Despite being subject to the UN sanctions, Yekatom was elected as an MP in 2016.

Ngaissona was barred from running for CAR president in 2015 because of his alleged role in the atrocities, which he denies.

Violence continues to grip CAR, two-thirds of which is in rebel hands.

The former French colony was plunged into turmoil in 2013 when predominately Muslim rebels from the Seleka group seized power in the majority Christian country.

United Nations says more than a million people were forced to flee their homes as thousands killed in subsequent clashes.

Ngaissona was the self-declared political co-ordinator of anti-Balaka forces that got criticized by many human rights groups for his appointments, but he apparently never considered them