Central African Republic: Court convicts absent ex-president

A Central African Republic court convicted deposed President Ange Felix Patasse of fraud in a one-day trial on Tuesday (August 29) , sentencing him and two co-accused in absentia to 20 years of hard labour. Patasse, who lives in Togo after being overthrown in a 2003 military coup by current president Francois Bozize, has refused to recognise the authority of the court.