ARUSHA: ICTR Prosecution has called for a life sentence for Protais Zigiranyirazo, a former influential politician and businessman

Zigiranyirazo, who was also the brother-in-law of former President Juvenal Habyarimana, is charged with six counts of Genocide, complicity to commit genocide, alternatively conspiracy to commit Genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The closing submissions in Zigiranyirazo’s case were heard Wednesday..

He is alleged to have been the leader of the Interahamwe militia who murdered 2,000 Tutsis in the Kesho hills on 8th April.

Zigiranyirazo was the Prefet (Governor) of Ruhengeri province for 17 years since 1973 when Habyarimana took power via a Coup d’Etat.

He is also regarded as one of the most influential members of the ‘Akazu’ (Habyarimana’s inner circle) which was controlled by his sister– Habyarimana’s widow-– Agathe Kanziga and her family.

"Zigiranyirazo encouraged and rewarded Interahamwe with food, beer, and money for killing their Tutsi victims. He was also part of meetings which took place on April 6, 1994 in the Kanombe presidential palace after the plane carrying Habyarimana was shot down," prosecution lead counsel Wallace. Kapaya from Tanzania said.

The meeting prepared lists of Tutsis and other prominent opposition figures to be killed and handed it over to the leader of the Gendarmes, the police authorities of the day. He added that as a major leader in Ruhengeri which was considered as Habyarimana’s backyard, Zigiranyirazo had the power and influence to stop the murders of many Tutsi in the area but he only saved 15 people, among them his three Tutsi wives and their families.

Defense counsel John Philpot from Canada said Zigiranyirazo had a life long relationship with the Tutsi and that he was married to three Tutsi wives.

Zigiranyirazo’s case is being heard by Judges Weinberg de Roca from Argentina (Presiding), K R Khan (Pakistan) and L G Muthoga from Kenya.

Ends