The trial of Felicien Kabuga who is accused of playing a lead role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi resumed on Tuesday, February 14 after having taken a long break partly due to issues with the defendant’s health.

Kabuga, 89, who was a wealthy businessman before and during the genocide is charged with seven counts including genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, attempt to commit genocide and conspiracy to commit genocide.

Other charges include persecution and extermination – both as crimes against humanity. He is standing trial at the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT)

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During Tuesday’s hearing, the testimony of a male witness code-named KAB035, a survivor of the genocide against the Tutsi, was presented to court.

His account pins Kabuga on hosting the Interahamwe militiamen in his Kimironko-based home during the genocide, and allowing them to train there. These, according to KAB035, killed a number of people during the genocide against the Tutsi.

A public summary of the testimony as presented by Prosecutor Sharifah Adong, indicated that between 1992 and 1994, KAB035 saw Kabuga’s Interahamwe which were led by one Hajabakiga and Munyakazi, moving around in trucks, carrying weapons including sticks and machetes, heading in the direction of Kabuga’s compound.

KAB035 says that during the genocide he saw two bodies of Tutsis whom he knew, who had been killed by Kabuga’s Interahamwe.

He further told the court that among the atrocities committed by this particular group of the Interahamwe, were the Karama school killings, noting that he saw a truck full of the militia-men heading to the school.

KAB035 was later cross-examined by the defence lawyers by use of virtual means, since he was addressing The Hague-based court from Kigali.

One of the lawyers of Kabuga, Emmanuel Altit, asked him how he knew for sure that the Interahamwe were doing training from Kabuga’s home, yet he did not reach the place himself.

KAB035 responded that even after the genocide, some Interahamwe who were part of Kabuga’s clique confessed that they were doing training from his compound.

Kabuga attended the trial physically, and at some point slept off, something that prompted the judge to ask the court to go for a brief recess.

The trial resumes on Wednesday, February 15.

Kabuga was arrested in May 2020 in Paris, France, putting an end on a 26-year manhunt for the man, who earned the nick-name ‘Financier of Genocide’.