Nzuwonemeye’s hearing to continue next week

The hearing of Francois-Xavier Nzuwonemeye, the former commanding officer of the Reconnaissance Battalion based at Camp Kigali, during the 1994 Genocide will resume on Monday at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), with the accused beginning his own defence. ICTR Spokesperson Roland Amoussouga told The New Times at his office yesterday that defence will continue presenting evidence until December 5 this year. Nzuwonemeye fled Rwanda after the 1994 Genocide of Tutsis in which over one million people lost their lives. In an indictment by the ICTR, Nzuwonemeye is charged with conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, crimes against humanity, and violations of the Geneva Convention. He was arrested in France in 2000, the same day his former deputy, Innocent Sagahutu, was arrested in Denmark. He was transferred to the authority of the ICTR in May 2000. The indictment alleges that between 1990 and 1994, Nzuwonemeye and other officers conspired to exterminate innocent civilians and political opponents, and helped to train Interahamwe militias to commit Genocide. After the former President Juvenal Habyarimana’s death and the start of the Genocide, members of the Reconnaissance Battalion commanded by Sagahutu, allegedly tracked down, arrested, sexually assaulted, and killed former Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana. They also allegedly took into custody ten Belgian peacekeepers from United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) who had been guarding Uwilingiyimana’s house and later killed them. They were accompanied in this by members of the Presidential Guard commanded by Major Protais Mpiranya who it is alleged could be living in Zimbabwe. A total of 27 witnesses have so far testified in the defence of Nzuwonemeye. The case opened in September, 2004. Muvunyi’s caseMeanwhile, ICTR’s Amoussouga also said that a date for the retrial of Tharcisse Muvunyi, the former Commander of Ecole de Sous-Officers (ESO) has not yet been set. Early this week, the ICTR’s Appeals Chamber cancelled the convictions as well as the 25-year prison sentence delivered by the First Instance Court against Muvunyi but ordered that he be tried again on only one count-- incitement to commit genocide. After the ruling, Muvunyi requested for a provisional release from detention but prosecution expressed worry that the accused may disappear once released. Muvunyi was found guilty in September 2006, of genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide and other inhuman acts, although these convictions were overturned on appeal. Ends

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Nzuwonemeye’s hearing to continue next week