Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona

Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona (born 30 June 1967) is the former Central African minister of sports, president of the Central African Football Federation and leader of Anti-balaka. He was arrested in 2018 on a warrant by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Life
Ngaïssona was born on 30 June 1967 in Begoua. He was minister of sport under the Bozizé regime and president of the Central African Football Federation since 2008. In December 2013 he became leader of one of factions of Anti-balaka. In 2015 he distanced himself from Bozizé. In February 2018 he was elected by Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football to represent the Central African Republic. On 12 December 2018 Ngaïssona was arrested in Paris by French authorities for his involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity pursuant to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. On 28 November 2019 he was banned by FIFA from taking part in any football-related activity for six years and eight months. He was also fined 500,000 CHF. His trial started in February 2021.

On 30 August 2021, in The Hague, the hearings in the Central African case of Alfred Yekatom and Ngaïssona resumed after being adjourned in June. A 16th witness, placed on condition of anonymity, was questioned about the attacks in the Bossangoa region during 2013.