SOUTHERN PROVINCE

MUHANGA—The former Mayor of Muhanga District has been sentenced to life imprisonment over his role during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The Kabgayi Gacaca Court sentenced Augustin Hategekimana on Wednesday, after two consecutive days of testimonies.

The former Mayor was sentenced to life imprisonment, without parole, over the role he played in the killings of victims who had sought refuge at Kabgayi. 

A former inspector of schools in the former Gitarama province, Hategekimana was accused of providing teacher’s payroll lists to the genocidaires who killed 27 teachers, part of a wider group of victims.

During the trial, one witness said the teachers’ lists also bore photos, which the militias used to hunt down their victims.

However, Hategekaimana denied the charges, saying he was never involved in drafting the lists of teachers. "I only authorised payment of all teachers even during the Genocide,” he said.

"The lists were provided by the religious leaders in Kabagyi, who run the schools. My work was to approve payment and I made sure all got paid without discrimination.”

Some defence witnesses also argued that he helped the teachers and he was not involved in their killings.

Hategekimana had earlier been acquitted of the charges of establishing a roadblock and ordering the killing of one victim Burakari, in Ruvemera village.

The former Mayor previously served as prefet (Governor) of the former Gitarama province before serving as Muhanga Mayor a post he resigned from in 2007.

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