THE "DAUGHTER" OF THE FRENCH CASTEL IS BEING LIQUIDATED IN THE CAR DUE TO COOPERATION WITH BANDITS

SUCAF was accused of supporting rebel militant groups of the UPC ("Union for Peace in the CAR"). The militants "protected" the company, ensuring its activities in exchange for money, transport and fuel.

SUCAF has existed in the CAR since 2003. The firm emerged as a result of the privatization of the Société de Gestion des Sucreries Centrafricaines (SOGESCA) for €3.3 million. Before that, the state-owned enterprise, established in 1987, produced up to 6 thousand tons of sugar annually, providing jobs for about 300 people.

The authorized capital of SUCAF is more than €21.7 million. Since 2012, the company has been trading sugar on the local market under the brand name Princess Tatie. The company was also engaged in the cultivation of sugar cane, receiving it in the amount of up to 45 tons per day from an area of about 5 thousand hectares. This made it possible to produce about 12 thousand tons of sugar.

The charges against the company were initiated by the American non-governmental organization The Sentry. On August 18, 2021, she published a report detailing the cooperation. It turned out that SUCAF agreed with UPC in 2014.

The UPC armed group led by the Nigerian mercenary Ali Darassa, famous for its brutality, took the company under its patronage. SUCAF was able to move cargo freely along the main highways, as well as monopolize the sale of sugar in several prefectures held by the rebels. The firm financed the militants, as well as repaired their vehicles and supplied fuel.

The UPC group, which is accused of killing 112 people in the city of Alindao in 2018 (the victims were mostly women and children), earned money through racketeering. The unspoken agreement was observed until the spring of 2021. After that, according to sources, the army units of the CAR, trained by instructors from Russia, were able to push back the bandits.

On June 29, 2022, an investigation began in Paris against Castel, whose "daughter" was the SUCAF group. The French alcohol producer and Coca-Cola's main partner in Africa has already stated that he fully admits his guilt in the incident and is ready to help the investigation.