Central African Republic President Michel Djotodia says the former president he ousted in a coup in March can return to the country now.
At a press conference held during a visit to the West African country of Benin on Tuesday, Djotodia stated that former President Francois Bozizé could come back to the CAR.
“Bozize is Central African. He can return home when calm is restored. He is free and we will not oppose his return,” Djotodia said.
In May, CAR authorities issued an international arrest warrant for Bozizé, accusing him of “crimes against humanity” and “inciting genocide.”
The current CAR president did not say whether Bozizé would be arrested upon his return or not.
After being toppled, Bozizé, who was the CAR president from 2003 to 2013, escaped to Cameroon, but his current whereabouts are unknown.
Also on Tuesday, a CAR police source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the authorities had launched an investigation after the bodies of five young men were discovered in the Ubangi River, which passes through the CAR capital Bangui.
The source named Seleka as the main suspects due to the fact that the five victims were wearing T-shirts bearing the image of Bozizé.
Later, state prosecutor Alain Tolmo confirmed the news, saying, “In the past 48 hours, the bodies have been floating in the Ubangi River… The bodies were tied by cords… Two of the bodies have been identified and returned to relatives. The three others have not yet been identified.”
A relative of one of the victims said, “The (identified) bodies are in the community hospital morgue. But it is clear that the two youngsters were savagely tortured until they died, for whatever reasons.”
On January 11, Bozizé and representatives of the Seleka rebels signed an agreement in Libreville, Gabon, after three days of negotiations brokered by regional neighbors.
However, the deal fell through, and Michel Djotodia, leading thousands of Seleka rebels, captured Bangui and proclaimed himself president after seizing power from Bozizé on March 24.
The Seleka fighters launched an offensive against the CAR government in December 2012.
There are many mineral resources, including gold and diamonds, in the Central African Republic. However, the country is extremely poor and has faced a series of rebellions and coups since it gained independence in 1960.
NT/HGL
Republished with permission from: Press TV