Didier Martial Pabandji Arrested

By Firmine YABADA | LNC

(Bangui, August 23, 2026 | LNC) On Thursday, August 20, Senior Communications Councilor Didier Martial Pabandji was remanded in custody by the Bangui public prosecutor's office. He faces charges involving somewhat vague allegations—such as verbal abuse and intimidation—alongside other charges that remain ill-defined. Central African judicial authorities contacted for comment could provide no further details. Having been detained on August 7, 2026, by the Research and Investigation Section, his remand on August 20 reportedly followed his failure to appear at a misdemeanor hearing scheduled for August 6. Didier Martial Pabandji faces charges of verbal abuse and intimidation, as well as accusations of violence against a female magistrate, insults, threats, and sexual misconduct involving a minor. Apparently, little regard was paid to his judicial immunity; imprisoning someone for mere words—even under a dictatorship, which this situation appears to resemble—is a bit extreme. Even the High Council for Communication (HCC), represented by José Richard Pouambi, deems the procedure arbitrary and irregular, calling for his immediate release. The institution points out that Didier Martial Pabandji’s immunity was never formally lifted and demands his immediate release, noting that Article 35 of the HCC regulations prohibits prosecuting a councilor without the Council's prior opinion (except in cases of flagrante delicto). But anything is possible in this country.

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Date: August 23, 2026

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