Bokassa’s Trial to Go On Till March to Hear All Witnesses
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BANGUI, Central African Republic — The torture-murder trial of Jean-Bedel Bokassa, originally expected to last less than a week, will continue until March because of the large number of prosecution witnesses, court officials say.
Bokassa, 65, went on trial Nov. 26 on charges of murder, cannibalism and embezzlement during his 13-year rule over the impoverished Central African Republic.
The former leader, who crowned himself Emperor Bokassa I after serving as president for a number of years, fled the country with millions of dollars after a French-backed coup in 1979. In October, he returned unexpectedly and was immediately imprisoned.
In court Friday, Bokassa said he was “never even informed” of the deaths of members of his government whom he is alleged to have murdered. Bokassa has repeatedly denied charges that he was involved in the killings of government officials and schoolchildren.
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