Editing Jean-Bédel Bokassa (section)

===Exile and return===
Bokassa had been tried and sentenced to death ''[[trial in absentia|in absentia]]'' in December 1980 for the murder of numerous political rivals.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/71915/Jean-Bédel-Bokassa |title = Jean-Bédel Bokassa (president of Central African Republic) – Encyclopædia Britannica |encyclopedia = Britannica.com |date=27 September 2013 |access-date=11 June 2014}}</ref> He returned from exile on 24 October 1986 and was immediately arrested by the Central African authorities as soon as he stepped off the plane in Bangui. He was tried for fourteen different charges, including [[treason]], [[murder]], cannibalism, illegal use of property, [[assault]] and [[battery (crime)|battery]], and [[embezzlement]]. Now that Bokassa was unexpectedly in the hands of the CAR government, they were required by law to try him in person, granting him the benefit of defence counsel. At Bokassa's court arraignment, the 1980 ''in absentia'' verdict was overturned and a new trial was ordered for him. Bokassa pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him.<ref name="Newsweek 1986 p. 27">"Trying the Butcher of Bangui", ''Newsweek'' (29 December 1986): p. 27.</ref>