CAF Executive Committee member Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona has been handed over by French authorities to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where he faces trial for war crimes ©Getty Images

Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee member Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona has been handed over by French authorities to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, where he faces trial for alleged war crimes. 

Ngaissona, a former President of the Central African Football Federation, was arrested in France on December 12 after a warrant issued by the ICC accused him of "alleged criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the western part of the Central African Republic (CAR)".

It is suspected he previously led a Christian anti-Balaka militia in the CAR, which allegedly carried out systematic attacks on Muslims in the country from 2013 to 2014.

The ICC claimed it has "reasonable grounds" to believe Ngaissona is guilty of crimes against humanity including murder, torture and the recruitment of child soldiers.

He denies all the allegations but has now be extradited to The Hague in The Netherlands.

A French court authorised his hand over to the ICC late last month.

He has been moved from a jail near Paris.

"This transfer followed the completion of necessary national proceedings in France," the ICC said in a statement.

Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona's arrest last month came a few weeks after Alfred Yekatom, another suspected militia leader, was detained in the Central African Republic ©Getty Images
Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona's arrest last month came a few weeks after Alfred Yekatom, another suspected militia leader, was detained in the Central African Republic ©Getty Images

Ngaissona’s arrest came just weeks after another suspected militia leader - Alfred Yekatom - was detained in the CAR.

He has also been transferred to The Hague to face trial.

According to news website New Vision, Ngaissona claimed during a hearing on December 19 that he "brought peace" to the CAR and is not a warlord.

He has also previously said that "everything I've done has been for the good of the country".

Ngaissona's arrest has reportedly prompted two groups within the anti-Balaka movement to pull out of a Government disarmament programme in the CAR, that had been due to start by the end of the year.

The groups claim that Ngaissona's detention undermined the ongoing peace process instigated by the African Union and indicated an "unfair disregard" for alleged crimes committed by the Muslim Séléka.