Édouard Frank

Édouard Frank (born 5 April 1934)[1] is a Central African magistrate and political figure. He was Prime Minister of the Central African Republic from 15 March 1991 to 4 December 1992.

Édouard Frank
Prime Minister of the Central African Republic
In office
15 March 1991 – 4 December 1992
PresidentAndré Kolingba
Preceded byPost abolished
(previously held by Simon Narcisse Bozanga)
Succeeded byTimothée Malendoma
Personal details
Born (1934-04-05) 5 April 1934
Grimari, Ouaka, Central Africa

Biography

Frank was born on 5 April 1934 in Grimari to Casimir Fra and Philomene Pagoundji. He attended Ecole primaire in Kouango and Ecole regionale in Bambari from 1942 to 1948 and Collège Emile Gentil from 1948 to 1954. Later, he studied at the Ecole normale d'instituteurs in Bambari. He began teaching in 1955. Frank studied law from 1963 to 1965 at the Institut des hautes études d'outre-mer (IHEOM), joining the judiciary service in July 1965. He pursued further studies at Jean-Bedel Bokassa University (since renamed the University of Bangui) from 1972 to 1976.[2]

Frank was appointed to the Bangui Court of Appeals in 1973. He became Chairman of the Supreme Court in 1980. He was appointed as Ambassador to France on 27 February 1982 by President Andre Kolingba.[2]

Frank presided over the 1986–1987 trial of former Emperor Jean-Bédel Bokassa.[3][4] This was described in the press as "the first time in the history of post-colonial Africa that a former chief of state was put on public trial with full guarantees for his defense". Bokassa was sentenced to death at the end of the trial in June 1987.[4] The sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment, and Bokassa was released in 1993.[5] Frank became Cabinet Secretary on 5 January 1989.[6][2]

Frank was named Prime Minister on 15 March 1991. He was dismissed from this role on 4 December 1992. Ange Felix Patasse appointed him as President of the Constitutional Court on 1 March 1996.[2] After the 2003 coup in which General François Bozizé took power, Frank feared for his life and fled to France for four months.[7] Later, Frank was appointed by Bozizé as Legal Adviser at the Presidency on 6 January 2006. He was dismissed from that post in July 2007.[8]

He is retired and lives in Vichy, France. He has nine children, four of whom are in France, two are in Senegal and three are still in the Central African Republic.[7]

Awards
  • Central African Order of Merit (1993)[9]

Notes
  1. "Index Fo-Fy".
  2. Bradshaw & Fandos-Rius 2016, p. 276
  3. "Death of children main issue of trial", Associated Press, 13 December 1986.
  4. "Bokassa doomed by Bangui court", Associated Press, The New York Times, 13 June 1987, section 1, page 5.
  5. Mike Thomson, "'Good old days' under Bokassa?", BBC News, 2 January 2009.
  6. "Central African Republic breaks diplomatic relations with Sudan", Associated Press, 29 May 1989.
  7. "Édouard Franck, ancien président de la Cour constitutionnelle, réside à Vichy pour sa retraite". La Montagne. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  8. "CAR: President Bozizé issues decree dismissing presidential legal adviser", Radio Centrafrique, Bangui, 22 July 2007.
  9. Bradshaw & Fandos-Rius 2016, p. 277

References
  • Bradshaw, Richard; Fandos-Rius, Juan (2016). Historical Dictionary of the Central African Republic. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0810879928.
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