22.06.09 - RWANDA/GACACA - GACACA COURT REDUCES GENOCIDE-CONVICTED DOCTOR'S SENTENCE

Kigali, 22 June 2009 (FH) - A medical doctor from Kigali, who was jailed for life for his role in the 1994 genocide, had his sentence reduced to 14 years on Sunday, reports Hirondelle Agency.

Dr Marcel Gakire, in his 50s, was being prosecuted for organization and supervision of genocide, execution of genocide, installation and supervision of road blocks and complicity in various murders in Nyamirambo, a district of the Rwandan capital.

The semi-traditional gacaca court of appeal of Nyamirambo found him guilty of complicity in the murder of a young man killed at a road block.

During the proceedings, which lasted nearly two and a half months, ten prosecution witnesses stated that he had supervised two road blocks where several people had been killed.

They had added that he had decimated 3 entire families.

The defendant had refuted all the allegations, advancing that he himself was threatened in 1994.

The witnesses called in his defence either members of his family or prisoners prosecuted or convicted for their participation in the genocide.

He has been in custody since 1999. His sentence is expected to end in next four years.

SRE/ER/MM/SC/GF

© Hirondelle News Agency

Republish
Justice Info is now on WhatsApp
Discover our first WhatsApp Channel and receive real-time notification of every publication posted on our website, with a summary and extracts or quotes. Every evening, you'll have access to our review of the day's AFP dispatches. At the end of each week, a summary of our publications.