Five lose Gacaca appeal

MUSANZE – Five Genocide suspects in Musanze District have lost an appeal against a ruling of a Gacaca Court which ordered them to compensate those who lost property during the 1994 Genocide. After assessing the cases which were forwarded to the National Gacaca jurisdiction, the Executive Secretary, Domitille Mukantaganzwa, said that the rulings of the five cases should be upheld. Only one case involving one Twaha Mbuzukongira and his family would be retried. Mukantaganzwa commended the judges for settling cases related to property, adding that those who were ordered to compensate survivors should do so with ‘honesty instead of derailing the process with unnecessary appeals.’ Shakira Niyitegeka, the coordinator of Gacaca in Musanze revealed that many convicts were failing to compensate survivors, which she said is the main obstacle to expedition of cases. Those given orders by Gacaca to make compensation are given three options: returning property which was looted or destroyed, paying in cash or working for the complainant to recover what was destroyed or lost. Ends