Gambiaj.com – (BISSAU) – Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embaló confirmed on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, that the Guinean authorities have not received any official notification from the Central African Republic regarding the international arrest warrant issued against former President François Bozizé.

Speaking to journalists, President Embaló revealed that Guinea-Bissau had been requested, through the African Union, to grant political asylum to Bozizé. However, he clarified that while the Central African Court can issue an international arrest warrant against its citizen, Guinea-Bissau’s laws do not permit extradition.

The international arrest warrant against François Bozizé was issued by an investigative office of the Special Criminal Court (PSC) of the Central African Republic on February 27, 2024. Bozizé, who led the Central African Republic from 2003 to 2013, is accused of crimes allegedly committed between 2009 and 2013 by the Presidential Guard and other security forces.

Bozizé arrived in Guinea-Bissau on March 2, 2023, from Chad, seeking political asylum. President Embaló expressed surprise at the decision of the Central African authorities, stating that he intended to speak with President Faustin-Archange Touadéra to better understand the situation. He emphasized that Bozizé has not engaged in any activities to destabilize the Central African Republic since arriving in Guinea-Bissau, which was a condition for granting him asylum.

President Embaló reiterated that Guinea-Bissau has not received official notification of the arrest warrant since February, and he remains committed to engaging with President Touadéra to address the situation.