The trial of former military officer Ildephonse Nizeyimana began on Monday with prosecution pinning him for having ordered the murder of thousands of Tutsis including the execution of Queen Rosalie Gicanda, the widow of King Mutara Rudahigwa III.

His trial is taking place at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

Nizeyimana was arrested in 2009 in Uganda through joint efforts of Interpol and Ugandan Police who had tracked him from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In his opening statement, Senior Trial Attorney, Drew White, identified key places where thousands of Tutsis were killed.

He said these included; Butare Hospital, Butare University, Cyahinda Parish and at various locations within Butare town.

"There are myriad examples of Captain Nizeyimana ordering those under his influence to attack, kill and rape civilians identified as Tutsi. (Witness) ZAR describes how the soldiers arrived at Queen Gicanda‘s home, abducted at gunpoint and drove the occupants to ESO (Noncommissioned Officers School,” White said.

Prosecution added that they would prove beyond reasonable doubt that Nizeyimana was criminally responsible for having planned, ordered, instigated, committed or otherwise aided or abetted in the commission of crimes, as a key participant in a joint criminal enterprise whose object was destruction of Tutsis in Butare, Southern Province.

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