KIGALI - The military tribunal yesterday turned down the request by the four detained officers of the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) to release them temporarily during the course of their trial.

The officers in question are Brig. Gen. Wilson Gumisiriza, Maj Wilson Ukwishaka, Capt John Butera and Capt (Rtd) Dieudonnee Rukeba who are accused of having played a role in the killing of catholic priests at Kabgayi Diocese in the Southern Province.

"The fact that the alleged crime carries a sentence of more than two years of imprisonment on conviction validates the request by prosecution to have them in temporary detention pending further investigations,” ruled Brig. Gen.

Steven Kalyango who presided over the session.
Butera and Rukeba pleaded guilty of having had a role in the killing of the fifteen clergymen that included four bishops who had been evacuated from Kabgayi to pave way for military operations.

The priests were killed during the 1994 Liberation War.  
On the other hand, Gumisiriza and Ukwishaka who were commanders in the 157 Mobile Brigade which was operating in the area, have pleaded not guilty.

"The fact that some pleaded guilty and others not means there is still more to investigate to find out the truth,” said Kalyango, who is also the vice president of the Nyamirambo-based tribunal.

All the accused immediately told court that they would appeal the decision, an appeal that is supposed to be logged at the Military High Court in Kanombe.

The crimes the accused are alleged to have committed are in contravention of the Geneva Convention which provides for the safety of noncombatants during an armed struggle.

Meanwhile, Gumisiriza and Ukwishaka have categorically denied having had a role in the commission of the crime, with the former saying that by the time the priests were killed he was deployed very far from the scene.

They are both charged with complicity to murder as a war crime under the context of command responsibility.

Ends