During the third day of testifying before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) yesterday, Major François-Xavier Nzuwonemeye, a former army officer, denied ever taking orders from his superior, Theoneste Bagosora, to kill innocent civilians. 

"I only knew Bagosora as a military officer just like me. I never took any instructions from him,” Nzuwonemeye denied.

The accused was the head of the reconnaissance battalion in 1994 which allegedly tracked down, arrested, sexually assaulted, and killed former Rwandan Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana.

Prosecutor Segun Jegede tasked the accused to explain whether he attended a crisis meeting that was convened and chaired by Bagosora during the night of April 6, 1994.

The meeting reportedly took place at the military headquarters at Camp Kigali after the downing of a plane carrying former President Juvenal Habyarimana.

Prosecution alleges that during the meeting, Bagosora mandated Nzuwunemeye to track down Uwilingiyimana before she could go on radio to address the nation about the death of Habyarimana.  

Jegede  expressed shock at the accused’s denial saying that the evidence given was based on a testimony Bagosora gave to the ICTR.

Later, the hearing turned dramatic when Nzuwonemeye’s defence counsels mounted pressure on the prosecution requesting that they stop insisting on the accused having attended the meeting.

But Segun shot back saying , "He can deny a thousand times but I will put my case to him. Bagosora invited him to attend a meeting that night and he attended it. He was even listed by Bagosora on the list of military officers, who attended it.

Nziwunemeye is on trial with the former Army Chiefs of Staff and the gendarmerie, General Augustin Bizimungu and General Augustin Ndindiliyimana, alongside Captain Innocent Sagahutu, who commanded a squadron of the reconnaissance battalion.

All four are held on charges of; Genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. They have pleaded not guilty.

The Trial is taking place before Trial Chamber II made up of Judges Joseph Asoka Nihal De Silva of Sri Lanka (presiding), Taghrid Hikmet (Jordan) and Seon Ki Park (South Korea).

Ends