Before a crowded public gallery, Appeals Court presiding judge Fausto Pocar rejected one by one the seven grounds of appeal presented by Hategekimana. In 1994, Hategekimana was in charge of the small military camp of Ngoma, in southern Rwanda.
The Appeals Chamber confirmed the conviction handed down by the lower court. According to the judgment, Hategekimana ordered the selection, kidnap and murder of Tutsis from a religious convent near his military camp on April 30, 1994. The judges also found that he had encouraged acts of rape.
Hategekimana was arrested in Congo Brazzaville on February 13, 2003 and transferred to the ICTR detention centre in Arusha three days later.
He was initially charged with two other officers based in Butare during the genocide, including Captain Ildephonse Nizeyimana who is currently awaiting judgment. Their cases were separated in the course of proceedings.
ER/JC
