The Court of Appeal in Kigali on July 31 found Wenceslas Twagirayezu, a 56-year-old former teacher, guilty of participation in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Earlier this year, the High Court Chamber for International Crimes (HCCIC) had acquitted Twagirayezu, a decision that the prosecution immediately appealed. ALSO READ: Twagirayezu ruling: Why one judge dissented during acquittal verdict Twagirayezu, who was a teacher at College Baptiste Gacuba II in Gisenyi (now Rubavu District), was accused of participating in killings on April 7, 8, and 9, in 1994, in different parts of Gisenyi, including Busasamana and Gacamena, where many Tutsi perished. In the appeal’s verdict, he was found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity. ALSO READ: Is Twagirayezu about to walk? Why I root for Prosecution’s appeal against acquittal Twagirayezu was extradited from Denmark in 2018 following an indictment and a subsequent arrest warrant issued by the Rwandan prosecution.
