16.09.09 - RWANDA/CANADA - PROSECUTOR ASKED LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RWANDAN CONVICTED OF GENOCIDE

Arusha, 16 September, 2009 (FH) - On Tuesday, the prosecution attorney asked a court in Canada to hand down life imprisonment penalty for the Rwandan national, Desire Munyaneza who was found guilty of  genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his participation in the 1994 massacres in his country.

During his submission, Pascal Ledoux, underlined that ‘' the convict actively participated in the  premeditated number of killings''. He allegedly commanded one of the main militia group in Rwanda.

He asked that Munyaneza be released on parole only after serving 25 years of imprisonment.

The prosecutor also pleaded that the convict be given another life sentence or seven years imprisonment for sexual assault and another two years for the offence of looting which pleaded guilty. All these sentences should be served concurrently.

On his part, Richard Perras, accused defence counsel pleaded for 20 years imprisonment for his client.

Judge André Denis announced at the end of the hearing that the sentence would be rendered on 28 October, 2009. Arrived in Canada in 1997, Munyaneza was arrested in Toronto in 2005.

Munyaneza's trial opened in March 2007. A total of 66 witnesses from both the prosecution and defence were called from different parts of the world to give evidence.

Munyaneza was accused of having taken part in genocide in Butare prefecture, south Rwanda between April 6 and July, 1994.

ER/MM/NI/GF

© Hirondelle News Agency

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