NDAYAMBAJE ORDERED HUNTING AND KILLING TUTSIS, WITNESS SAYS

Arusha, February 9, 2004 (FH)- The 28th prosecution witness in the so called “Butare trial” on Monday told the International criminal Tribunal forRwanda (ICTR) that Elie Ndayambaje, one of the six accused in this case, ordered people to hunt and kill Tutsis during the 1994 massacres. The witness, code-named FAL, said Ndayambaje, former Mayor of Muganza commune in Butare prefecture issued the order at a roadblock erected at Bisha to net Tutsis.

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“He came at Bisha and told us to go to Kivumo to hunt down Tutsis and kill them,” he said adding that “the order was obeyed and implemented”. Led in his chief examination in chief by Adelaide Whest, FAL said he saw Ndayambaje arriving at the road block in a Toyota Hilux vehicle. He did not mention the date. The witness also said that on 22 June, 1994, he attended a meeting at the communal office, chaired by Butare former prefect, Alphonse Ntezirayo, who is also one of the accused. He said that during the meeting Nteziryayo sworn in Elie Ndayambaje as the new Mayor of Muganza commune. “On my arrival at the meeting, Alphonse took the floor and told us he came to install Ndayambaje because Chrisologue ( Ndayambaje's predecessor) “wasnot sufficiently active,” he said, meaning he did not do much to contain the war situation which was gaining momentum. Alphonse Nteziryayo and Ndayambaje later on ordered them to sweep the dirt (meaning expose Tutsis to be killed) outside their houses, he recounted. Theprevious witness dubbed QAF who concluded his testimony on Monday, had given the court the same explanation. Most of the cross-examination of FAL took place in closed session. Other accused in this trial include former minister of Family and Women Affairs, Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, her son and militia leader, Arsene ShalomNtahobali, another former prefect of Butare Sylvain Nsabimana and Joseph Kanyabashi, former Mayor of Ngoma commune. The trial is taking place in Trial Chamber Two of the ICTR composed of judges William Hussein Sekule of Tanzania (presiding), Judge Arlette Ramaroson fromMadagascar and Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda. . NI/CE/FH (BT''0209e)