Aaron Wilibona (or Ouilibona) alias "Coxis" – is a former Central African representative, military commander of Anti-balaka, suspected of killing French journalist Camille Lepage.

Aaron Wilibona
Wilibona in January 2014 in Cantonnier, pointing his gun at camera
Member of the National Assembly
In office
2005–2011
Succeeded byJules Bernard Ouandé[1]
Constituency8th arrondissement, Bangui
Director of cabinet of Ministry of Public Health
In office
2011–2013
Anti-balaka commander
In office
2014 or earlier – 2015 or later
Personal details
BornBangui
NationalityCentral African Republic

Life

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He is a cousin of former president François Bozizé[2] and a younger brother of Maxime Mokom.[3]

He used to be a chieff of staff of two ministers under the regime of Patassé and Bozizé.[4] In the 2005 Central African general election he was elected to the National Assembly from the 8th arrondissement in Bangui, having received 7,508 or 40.44% of all votes. He was elected as a member of Kwa Na Kwa party.[5] In 2009 he was elected President of the Kwa Na Kwa parliamentary group.[6] In September 2010 Wilibona was reportedly regularly traversing Bangui with a submachine gun looking for information and speaking with mercenaries.[7] In 2011 he was a director of cabinet of the Ministry of Public Health.[8]

Civil war

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Following the outbreak of the Central African Republic Civil War he joined the Anti-balaka militias. In January 2014 he reportedly took over the Cantonnier/Béloko border crossing together with Rochael Mokom alias ‘Colonel Rocco’. On 28 April he was reportedly in charge of Anti-balaka militias between Cantonnier and Bouar.[9] He was accused of murder of French journalist Camille Lepage in May 2014 for which he was arrested by Central African authorities.[10] On 7 July 2015 he escaped the Ngaragba prison in Bangui after which he fled to Garoua-Boulaï in Cameroon.[11] His personal lawyer, Raymond Ndakala, was accused of helping him in escape.[10] On 5 September 2015 he reportedly arrived in Berbérati accompanied by eight Anti-balaka fighters.[11]

Aftermath

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On 12 September 2020 he was arrested by the Cameroonian air and border police as he was returning from a trip to Bangui and placed in pre-trial detention in Kondengui. He is accused of dishonestly obtaining 481,000,000 CFA francs stored in various bank accounts.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Centrafrique : Le général Ouandé nommé Chef d'Etat major des armées, 5 January 2015
  2. ^ CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ANATOMY OF A PHANTOM STATE Africa Report N°136 – 13 December 2007, 7 August 2019
  3. ^ Procès — Témoin CAR-OTP-P-2232
  4. ^ a b Edouard, Yamale (30 October 2020). "Centrafrique : Ouilibona Kocksis arrêté et écroué à la prison centrale de Kondengui à Yaoundé au Cameroun". LeTsunami.
  5. ^ Les elus aux 2 tours des elections legislatives centrafricaines, Mai 2005
  6. ^ Lamba, Sébastien (14 November 2019). "Centrafrique : la candidature à la présidentielle du président Bozizé renvoyée à un prochain congrès du KNK". Acap.cf.
  7. ^ Galaxie bozizeenne : les nouvelles de sassara du 4 Septembre, 6 September 2010
  8. ^ "C'est désormais tolérance zéro mortalité néonatale en RCA". Radio Ndeke Luka. 28 July 2011.
  9. ^ "Letter dated 26 June 2014 from the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic established pursuant to Security Council resolution 2127 (2013) addressed to the President of the Security Council" (PDF). Security Council Report. 1 July 2014.
  10. ^ a b République Centrafricaine : à Bangui, l’avocat Raymond Ndakala présenté à la barre, 7 August 2014
  11. ^ a b "Letter dated 21 December 2015 from the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic extended pursuant to Security Council resolution 2196 (2015) addressed to the President of the Security Council" (PDF). Security Council Report. 21 December 2015. p. 292.