05.05.09 - RWANDA/GACACA - GACACA: COURT OVERTURNS 15 YEARS SENTENCE TO LIFE JAIL FOR EX-BUSINESSMAN

Kigali, 5 May 2009 (FH) - Jean Gaperi Ndizihiwe, a businessman from Kigali who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in first instance trial was handed life imprisonment on appeal on Sunday for his role in the 1994 genocide, reports Hirondelle Agency.

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The gacaca court of appeal of Nyakabanda, in Kigali, found him guilty of several crimes including  murder of his colleague and friend, Schadrack Nzayisenga, murder of ten family members of the latter, including an infant. The appeal judges concluded that the 52-year-old businessman had crushed to death a baby against the wall.

He was also sentenced for complicity in the murder of several other people, not only in Kigali, but also in Mukingi, the center of the country.

The convict had appealed following the first judgement in March.

According to a local police source who requested anonymity, the businessman had corrupted the first instance trial judges, who handed him a relatively lenient sentence.

According to the appeal judgement, Ndizihiwe was also struck with civic degradation and will have to pay the goods looted or destroyed at Nzayisenga's home, estimated at 70.8 million Rwandan Francs (approximately 13,000 American dollars).

Another trial for looting and destruction of assets awaits him in the Nyarugenge sector, in the centre of Kigali.

Several witnesses affirmed during the trial that at the time of the 1994 genocide, Ndizihiwe travelled between Kigali and Gitarama (central Rwanda), under an escort, to carry out the brutal crimes.

SRE/ER/MM/SC

© Hirondelle News Agency