ICTR: Butare judgement delivered, all six accused convicted
The United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda today convicted all the six accused persons in what is called the Butare case including the first woman to be charged of genocide, Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, the former Minister of Family and Women’s Development.
Trial Chamber II composed of Judges William Sekule, presiding, Arlette Ramaroson and Solomy Balungi Bossa then sentenced Nyiramasuhuko to life in prison for conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, crimes against humanity (extermination, rape, and persecution), and serious violations of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and of Additional Protocol II thereto (violence to life, and outrages upon personal dignity).
The Trial Chamber also sentenced her son, Arsène Shalom Ntahobali, a former student, and Elie Ndayambaje, a former Bourgmestre of Muganza to life in prison. Arsène Shalom Ntahobali was found guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity (extermination, rape, and persecution), and serious violations of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and of Additional Protocol II thereto (violence to life, and outrages upon personal dignity), while Ndayambaje was found guilty of genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, crimes against humanity (extermination and persecution), and violence to life as a serious violation of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and of Additional Protocol II thereto.
Sylvan Nsabimana, former Prefect of Butare was sentenced to 25 years in prison, for genocide, extermination and persecution as a crime against humanity, and violence to life as a war crime, while Alphonse Nteziryayo, a former Leutenant Colonel in the Rwanda Armed Forces and also Prefect of Butare was sentenced to 30 years for direct and public incitement to commit genocide, following his speeches at two commune meetings in June and at Ndayambaje’s swearing-in ceremony on 22 June 1994. Joseph Kanyabashi, former Bourgmestre of Ngoma Commune in Butare was sentenced to 35 years after being convicted, with Judge Ramaroson dissenting in part, on the basis of superior responsibility, of genocide, crimes against humanity (extermination and persecution), and violence to life as a serious violation of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and of Additional Protocol II thereto.
The Trial Chamber then ordered that the convicts would receive credit for time served since their arrest, where applicable, and that they would be kept in detention under the present conditions until their transfer to their designated places of imprisonment.
Nyiramasuhuko was born in 1946 in Ndora commune, Butare prefecture, Rwanda. She was arrested in Kenya on 18 July 1997 while Ntahobali was born in 1970 in Israel, and was arrested in Kenya on 24 July 1997.
Ndayambaje was born on 8 March 1958 in Muganza commune, Butare prefecture, Rwanda. He was appointed Bourgmestre of his commune in January 1983, and he held this office for a number of years until October 1992. On 18 June 1994, he was reappointed Bourgmestre of Muganza commune. Ndayambaje was arrested in Belgium on 28 June 1995.
Nsabimana was born on 29 July 1951, in Mbazi commune, Butare prefecture, Rwanda. He served as Prefect of Butare from 19 April until 17 June 1994. Nsabimana was arrested in Kenya on 18 July 1997.
Nteziryayo was born on 26 August 1947 in Kibayi commune, Butare prefecture, Rwanda. Nteziryayo, was appointed Prefect of Butare on 17 June 1994. He was arrested in Burkina Faso on 24 April 1998.
Kanyabashi was born in 1937 in Huye commune, Butare prefecture, Rwanda. From April 1974 through July 1994, he served as Bourgmestre of Ngoma commune in Butare prefecture. He was arrested in Belgium on 28 June 1995.
