Colonel Nsekarije, who did not occupy any official functions during 1994 genocide, was cleared of charges of illegal distribution of firearms, genocide, trained people to handle weapons and drove out Tutsis, who had sought refuge at his place.
The defendant was once a member of the central committee of the former single party and foreign minister.
Nsekarije, who was influential and wealthy in the 80s, was part of the authors of the coup of 5 July 1973, which brought to power General Habyarimana.
Contrary to other dignitaries of the Habyarimana's regime, Nsekarije had not fled the country at the seizure of power in July 1994 by the former rebellion of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), currently in power.
On Saturday, General Paul Rwarakabije, a member of the current Rwandan national demobilization commission, will answer to charges related to the 1994 genocide before the gacaca court of Kacyiru, also located in the Rwanda capital.
The officer, who worked at the general staff of the Rwandan gendarmerie during the genocide, had fled to Zaire, currently the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), following the advance of RPF.
Thereafter, he had, with other officers of the former Rwandan Armed Forces (RAF), founded the Democratic Forces or the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebel movement, and assumed the role of military command before defecting to the new Rwandan Army in 2004.
Another former FDLR commander who returned to Rwanda, Brigadier General Seraph Bizimungu alias Amani Mahoro, was sentenced to life in prison in December 2008 after being found guilty of participation in the genocide.
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© Hirondelle News Agency