The Intermediate Court of Nyarugenge, yesterday, remanded Genocide suspect, Jean Uwinkindi to 30 days in prison.Delivering the verdict on the suspect’s bail application, Judge John Byakatonda, the president of the Nyamirambo-based court, said the gravity of Uwinkindi’s case, which on conviction attracts life imprisonment, does not merit provisional liberty.“Basing on the fact that he spent 10 years evading justice as he hid in Uganda, and considering that when challenging his transfer to Rwanda he claimed his security would be at stake, this means that if he is released he would flee,” Byakatonda told the half full court.Uwinkindi, a former pastor with the Pentecostal Church in Bugesera District, is accused of unleashing killers on thousands of Tutsi refugees, including members of his church, during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.He was the first person to be transferred to Rwanda by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) under the UN tribunal’s completion strategy.While appearing before the court on Monday to seek bail, Uwinkindi’s defence counsel argued that their client was illegally detained since the ICTR arrest warrant was issued against Jean “Bosco” Uwinkindi not Jean Uwinkindi.However, Judge Byakatonda’s said, “the Prosecution has lined up ten witnesses to testify against Uwinkindi of whom, Uwinkindi has not objected which proves that he is the right suspect. Also, Uwinkindi should have challenged the name from the ICTR before his transfer.” Immediately after the ruling, Uwinkindi announced his intention to appeal against the verdict in a higher court.Prosecution had during the Monday hearing alleged that while a pastor at the Pentecostal church in Kanzenze, Uwinkindi formed what he called “a security committee” to which was the head.The committee solely planned and executed coordinated attacks against the Tutsis.Furthermore ,the prosecution alleged that when Tutsis put up a resistance against their killers, Uwinkindi approached authorities of the then Commune Kanzenze for reinforcement in form of army and police.At his church, there were many Tutsis who had taken refuge. From there, prosecution said Uwinkindi and his security committee would pick people to be killed at a nearby ground.Uwinkindi was arrested in June 2010 in Uganda and was later transferred to the UN Detention Facility in Arusha.
