The UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) on Wednesday, November 9 heard how Felicien Kabuga used his own truck to transport and distribute weapons to over 400 Interahamwe militia so that they massacre Tutsi. In his testimony before the court, a witness with code name KAB009 said that Interahamwe members received weapons that were distributed by Felicien Kabuga’s trucks in Gisenyi during the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. His testimony complemented that of an earlier witness code-named ‘KAB007’ who testified on Tuesday. Known as the “financier of the 1994 Genocide the Tutsi,” Kabuga, 89, allegedly played a big role in the Genocide against the Tutsi by providing weapons, and financial and moral support to the killers. A protected witness who was presented to the IRMCT by the prosecution pinned Kabuga in the distribution of weapons in the former Gisenyi prefecture. He testified via livestream from Arusha, Tanzania where he is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence for his role in the Genocide. According to the witness testimony, he was present at the Meridien hotel in Goma in the former Zaire currently, DR Congo, where Kabuga received the weapons and transported them to Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu District (formerly Gisenyi) said that he saw Kabuga at a meeting that was also attended by Sylvain Nsabimana the then prefect of Gisenyi. In addition, the witness pointed out that on the morning the weapons delivery, he was at the hotel, where Kabuga issued authorisations and gave instructions on who should receive weapons. “The weapons from Kabuga's Mercedes Benz trucks were distributed to 400 interahamwe youth,” he said Moreover, the witness testified that the attacks launched against Tutsi were launched at the request of Eduard Karemera alias Rukusanya. Karemera served as deputy president of MRND. Asked about the names of some of the well-known Interahamwe who were at the stadium during the distribution, the witness mentioned Habimana, Thomas Muiraneza, Mubarak Juru, and Damas Binego. Kabuga is charged with genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, persecution on political grounds, extermination, and murder as crimes against humanity.
