The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) Friday convicted Nyiramasuhuko, who was Minister for Family and Women Affairs, her son Shalom Ntahobali and former mayor Elie Ndayambaje of genocide and crimes against humanity and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
They were convicted alongside three other, two ex-Governors, Sylvain Nsabimana and Alphonse Nteziryayo and another ex-Mayor Joseph Kanyabashi. Nsabimana was sentenced to 25 years for genocide, extermination and persecution as crimes against humanity and rape as war crime.
Nteziryayo was sentenced to 30 years in jail for direct and public incitement to commit genocide, while Kanyabashi was ordered to remain behind bars for 35 years for genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, extermination and persecution as crimes against humanity and war crime.
Others, two ex-governors of Butare prefecture, Sylvain Nsabimana and Alphonse Nteziryayo were also sentenced to 25 years and 30 years in jail, respectively while another mayor, Joseph Kanyabashi, was ordered to remain behind bars for 35 years.
Nyiramasuhuko, the only woman to be indicted at ICTR, was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit genocide for entering into an agreement with members of interim government on or after April 9, 21994 to kill Tutsis in Butare prefecture.
She was further found responsible of genocide and crimes against humanity and war crime for ordering killings of Tutsis at Butare prefecture office, while her son was found criminally responsible for killing Tutsis and aiding and abetting the commission of the crime.
Ndayambaje was criminally responsible for aiding and abetting the killing of Tutsis in some locations in the prefecture and for instigating the killings after swearing in ceremony on June 22, 1994, while Kanyabashi was found criminally responsible as superior of Ngoma commune policemen who killed Tutsis at two locations in the prefecture.
Whereas Nsabimana was found criminally responsible for failing to discharge his legal duty and thereby aiding and abetting the killing of Tutsis at the prefecture office, while Nteziryayo was convicted of the offence for his speeches he delivered at two commune meetings in the prefecture June 1994.
Another event covered involved Bernard Munyagishari, who pleaded not guilty to genocide and crimes against humanity in his initial appearance before the Tribunal on Monday.
Munyagishari, who is described by the prosecution as former president of Interahamwe in Gisenyi prefecture, north Rwanda, is accused of conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide or alternatively complicity in genocide and murder and rape as crimes against humanity.
Before the Tribunal there was also continuation of defence hearing in the trial of former Rwandan Planning Minister, Augustin Ngirabatware, who is charged with genocide and crimes against humanity and called two witnesses to support his case.
There was also continuation of special deposition proceedings in the case most wanted genocide-fugitive Félicien Kabuga, who is charged with conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide and direct and public incitement to commit genocide, among others. The proceedings are being held in camera. Both trials continue Monday.
Whereas at The Hague, the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) this week called on States to nominate the most highly-qualified judicial candidates to the International Criminal Court (ICC) through a fair, transparent and merit-based election process.
Furthermore, it invited States Parties to fully respect the Rome Statute when nominating candidates and encouraged nominations to be made through transparent and vigorous process, in broad consultation with civil society, professional national legal associations and others.
Between June 13 and September 2, 2011, according to the statement, States Parties to the Rome Statute will nominate candidates to fill six judicial vacancies at the ICC. The elections to be held in December 2011 at the tenth session of the Assembly of State Parties represent the most significant change to the composition of the Court's bench in recent years.
FK/GF
© Hirondelle News Agency