Head teacher held over Genocide

POLICE in Kayonza, Eastern Province is holding a primary headmaster for his alleged involvement in the 1994 Genocide.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

POLICE in Kayonza, Eastern Province is holding a primary headmaster for his alleged involvement in the 1994 Genocide.

Kayonza District Police Commander Dismus Rutanganira confirmed the arrest when contacted on November12 on phone.

The head teacher, Theoneste Ntirugirwa of Kitazigurwa Ecole Primary School in Kayonza has reportedly been on the run for years.

Rutanganira said the Gacaca Court in his former sector reportedly sentenced Ntirugirwa to 30 years in prison for crimes committed during the Genocide but in absentia.

Ntirugirwa is been detained at Ndinda Prison in Kayonza.

"During interrogation, he said he was a victim of witch-hunt by those who want to take a way his job,” Rutanganira said. Ntirugirwa told police he intends to appeal.

Police said Ntirugirwa is supposed to serve 26- years because by the time Gacaca handed him 30 years, he had already served 4 years.

Sources in Kayonza said the headmaster had reportedly gone underground.

But later he re-appeared and was appointed headmaster of Kitazigurwa Ecole Primary.

When the marking of Primary exams started a week ago, Ntirugirwa was among those selected to mark the papers but little did he know that those he reportedly wronged were still following him.

"People who are accusing him tipped-off the police. He was arrested and brought back here,” Rutanganira said.

A source from Kayonza said Ntirugirwa did not deserve to participate in the marking exercise because his past is reportedly tainted.

"He is not fit to mark the exams of our children because he is biased. A Genocide suspect cannot be fair,” the source said.

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