The International Criminal Court on Wednesday convicted a former Central African Republic rebel commander on four counts of crimes against humanity including torture and unlawful imprisonment.

The ICC found that Mahamat Said Abdel Kani, 56, oversaw beatings and maltreatment as head of a feared prison unit as the CAR spiralled into civil war in 2013.

Wearing a blue sweatshirt and jeans, Said shook his head multiple times in the courtroom as presiding judge Miatta Maria Samba detailed the crimes.

The ICC will deliver a sentence for the crimes at a later date. Said was also acquitted of three counts of war crimes.

Said ran the Central Office for the Repression of Banditry (OCRB) detention centre in the capital Bangui where prosecutors allege horrific acts of torture and deprivation were inflicted on prisoners.

AFP