Bokassa, Jean-Bédel (zhäN-bĕdĕl` bōkäs`sä), 1921–96, president of Central African Republic (1966–79). He served (1939–61) in the French army, then organized his country's army, becoming commander in chief in 1963. In 1966 he led an army coup against President David Dacko Dacko, David (dävēd` däkō`), 1930–2003, president of the Central African Republic (1960–66, 1979–81).
..... Click the link for more information. , becoming president and prime minister of the republic. Declared president for life in 1972, he crowned himself "emperor" of the so-called Central African Empire in 1977. Erratic and violent, he was overthrown by a French-supported coup (1979) that reinstated Dacko as president. Bokassa lived in exile in France and Côte d'Ivoire, returning to the Central African Republic in 1987. He was arrested and charged with torture, murder, and cannibalism. Convicted of murdering several political opponents, Bokassa was sentenced to death, but that was later commuted to life in prison. He was released in 1993.

Bokassa, Jean-Bédel

or Bokassa I

(born Feb. 22, 1921, Bobangui [Central African Republic]—died Nov. 3, 1996, Bangui, Central African Republic) President of the Central African Republic (1966–77) and self-proclaimed emperor of the Central African Empire (1977–79). Son of a village chief, Bokassa joined the French army in 1939 and later received the Croix de Guerre for his service in Indochina. In 1961 he returned to head the army of the newly independent Central African Republic; five years later he overthrew the president, his cousin David Dacko. In 1977 he had himself crowned emperor. When he was found to have participated in the massacre of 100 schoolchildren and was accused of cannibalism, French paratroops removed him in a coup and reestablished the republic. Bokassa settled in Côte d'Ivoire. He was sentenced to death in absentia in 1980, but his death sentence was later commuted.