The former president of the Central African Republic, Francois Bozize, has been sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment with hard labour, Attorney General Jacques Oukara announced on Friday.

Guinea-Bissau exile Francois Bozize, who leads the rebel group Patriot Coalition for Change (CPC), was convicted on Thursday by the Court of Appeal in Bangui, the country’s attorney general said.

He was found guilty of criminal conspiracy, undermining internal security, damage to public property and destruction of foreign property.

Bozize, president of the Central African Republic from 2003 to 2013 when he was overthrown by Seleka rebels, led a failed coup attempt in January 2021. During the conflict, thousands of people were killed and – according to UN figures – more than a million residents were forced to leave their homes.

Until March he lived in exile in Chad, since then he settled in Guinea-Bissau.

François Bozize was convicted along with his relatives and associates, including Maxime Mocom, who was convicted of war crimes by the International Criminal Court in The Hague last month.

The Central African Republic, a former French colony, remains mired in political and economic crisis since a 2013 uprising. Rebels often launch deadly attacks in various parts of the country, which maintains close ties to Russia.