Dutch court approves extradition of Genocide suspect

The Dutch Court of First Instance in The Hague has granted Rwanda’s request of extraditing Genocide suspect Jean Claude Iyamuremye to answer for his role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.The 37-year-old, who was arrested in Voorburg, Netherlandsm in July, had his case referred to a Dutch court in October for an extradition hearing to face trial in Rwanda.‘Way of the Cross’Iyamuremye, aka, Nzenga, is accused of being part of the militiamen who attacked and killed Tutsis who had sought asylum at the former ETO-Kicukiro, after the latter were abandoned by UN forces. The victims are said to have made the widely known “Way of Cross” trekking to Nyanza Hill, where they were killed.According to the indictment, Iyamuremye is accused of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and torture.The spokesperson of the National Public Prosecution Authority, Alain Mukuralinda, welcomed yesterday’s court decision, but could not comment further since the case is subject to appeal.Dr Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu, the president of Ibuka, an umbrella organisation of Genocide survivors associations, told The New Times that time has come for Western countries to refer all Genocide suspects and cases under their jurisdiction to Rwanda for trial.“We highly welcome the ruling by the Dutch court and wish that the upper courts uphold it. It has been proven that the Rwandan courts can render fair trial to any case that is transferred or extradited here and we have no doubt Netherlands will extradite Iyamuremye,” said Dusingizemungu.Long extradition processIyamuremye is likely to appeal his extradition. For someone to be extradited, the Dutch Supreme Court has to rule in favour of the extradition and the Dutch Minister of Security and Justice should as well give a green light to the effect.Among the cases tried in the Netherlands include that of Yvonne Basebya, who was earlier this year sentenced to six years for inciting Genocide against the Tutsi.Also, in 2009, a Dutch court sentenced Joseph Mpambara to 20 years for his role in the 1994 Genocide. He appealed and, in July 2011, the higher court sentenced him to life in prison for war crimes committed in Rwanda in 1994. They are both serving their sentences in the Dutch prisons.