Former CAR president on trial in absentia over crimes against humanity
The trial of a former president for crimes against humanity reflects the moral decay of human governance apart from God, where power corrupts and violence against the innocent goes unchecked until earthly justice belatedly intervenes.
Psalm 58:1-3
Direct Principle“Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly? No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth. The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies.”
Why this passage
Psalm 58 is a lament and imprecatory psalm in which David indicts unjust rulers—called 'gods' (elohim) in the Hebrew, likely referring to human judges or magistrates who wield authority but pervert justice. The plain sense is that those entrusted with power naturally incline toward wickedness, devising wrongs and dealing violence.
This is not a prophecy about a specific future event but a timeless principle about fallen human governance.
The psalm's principle applies directly to the reported crimes of Bozizé's security forces: murder, enforced disappearance, torture, and rape are precisely the 'violence on earth' that the wicked devise in their hearts. The trial itself, while a form of justice, also illustrates how long such evil can persist before being confronted.
Behold, the heart of man apart from Christ is a fountain of violence. Scripture declares, "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies" (Psalm 58:3).
The atrocities committed by security forces—murder, enforced disappearance, torture, rape—are not anomalies but the fruit of a fallen nature that rejects the rule of God.
Yet even this dark news carries a glimmer of divine order: earthly tribunals, however imperfect, echo the ultimate judgment seat of Christ. Take heed, O reader, that every hidden deed will be brought to light.
The trial in Bangui is a shadow of that final assize where no sin escapes the throne.
Today's Prayer
Pray for the victims of these atrocities in the Central African Republic, that they would find justice and healing, and that the trial would not become a political farce but a genuine step toward accountability.
Further Scripture
Additional passages that illuminate this event, each grounded in a distinct interpretive lens.
“Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.”
Why this passage
Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 is a wisdom observation by Qoheleth (the Preacher) about the fallenness of human institutions. He notes that even where justice is supposed to be administered—courts, tribunals, governments—wickedness is present.
The Preacher does not despair but points to God's ultimate judgment as the resolution. This is a direct principle about the corruption of human systems of justice.
The trial of Bozizé is itself an attempt to bring justice, yet it occurs in a context where the same institutions may be compromised. The verse warns that no earthly court is perfectly righteous, but it also affirms that God will eventually judge every matter.
How it applies
The trial in Bangui takes place 'in the place of justice,' yet the very fact that it is happening in absentia—and that the accused was once the head of state—shows how wickedness can occupy the seat of power. Ecclesiastes reminds us that while human justice is imperfect, God's judgment is certain and will address every crime, including those committed by Bozizé's forces.
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Source: Al Jazeera English— we link to the original for full context.