Arusha, 14 May, 2007 (FH) – A mission of the Finnish police force arrived last week in Rwanda where it must carry out an investigation of a known clergyman held in Finland for his alleged participation in the 1994 genocide, reports on Monday the Rwandan pro-governmental daily newspaper The New Times. Baptist Pastor, François Bazaramba is suspected of having directed the massacres of almost 5.000 Tutsis during the 1994 genocide in Nyakizu, in the old prefecture of Butare (southern Rwanda), writes the newspaper quoting a source with the Attorney General of Rwanda. Held at Porvoo, Bazaramba arrived to Finland in 2003, according to The New Times. If this investigation leads to a trial, it will be the first indictment by the Finnish justice system of a Rwandan accused of partaking in the 1994 genocide which, according to Kigali, resulted in the death of nearly a million people, primarily Tutsis. Belgium was, in 2001, the first European country to judge Rwandans accused of having played a part in the massacres of Tutsis in their country. An officer of the former Rwandan army, Major Bernard Ntuyahaga, is currently on Trial by the Cour d’Assises of Brussels. Canada also started, at the end of March, proceedings against a Rwandan accused of genocide. ER/PB/MM
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