Cases of sexual assault by French soldiers against African children in recent years have plunged Paris into major scandals.
The latest reports indicate that a former French spy has been accused of ordering the rape of children in Africa and has been imprisoned.
According to AFP, French prosecutors announced on Saturday that a former French intelligence agent had been arrested in eastern France on charges of ordering the rape of children in Africa.
As reported by Le Parisien, the first outlet to break the story, the 58-year-old man is accused of large-scale human trafficking, sexually assaulting children, and distributing explicit images of a young child.
The newspaper stated that he is charged with orchestrating the sexual abuse of children in Africa—particularly in Kenya—remotely arranging and financing the crimes, as well as sexually exploiting minors and filming the acts.
The issue of sexual abuse by French agents, including military personnel, against children in Africa has a long history. In 2015, France investigated complaints regarding sexual abuse by its peacekeepers against children in the Central African Republic after a damning UN report revealed victims were assaulted in exchange for food and money.
Mizan News Agency