A former leader of the Adventist Church during the pre - Genocide period has been detained by the police at Ruhango, Southern Province allegedly over genocide charges.

Thaddeus Mukezabatware who previously led the Adventists in Gitwe, was arrested on April 13 at Gatuna border post while trying to flee the country.

He and four other former Gitwe Church leaders had in November last year been acquitted of Genocide charges by Jyoma Gacaca court. They had been accused of masterminding the death of Petero Mulingande, Job Esidirasi Nzayisenga, and one Ngabonziza and his brother during the genocide.

Genocide survivors however, appealed the case to the national Gacaca jurisdictions seeking to overturn the verdict.

Police confirmed the arrests saying Mukezabatware was intercepted heading to Nairobi through Uganda last Sunday morning.

"The survivors asked Mukezabatware to be blocked from going out of the country because of the unfinished Gacaca cases in Gitwe [Ruhango]. We have temporarily held him until the issues with survivors are sorted out," Spt Andre Ndoli, the Ruhango District Police commander said. But the police could not confirm that he was fleeing.

The suspects were also accused of ordering guards to kill residents who had sought refuge in the Adventist stronghold at College de Adventist de Gitwe – (CAG).

A Genocide survivor in Gitwe identified as Mulinda Byuma who talked to The New Times on Wednesday said, "We had appealed to the National level to have the case of (Mukezabatware) and other freed suspects be re-tried by another court and this was granted."

He added that they had received a letter ordering court to begin the retrial after the genocide memorial week which ended last Sunday.

Apparently the arrest coincided with the closing of the official mourning.

Ends