ANOTHER CLERGYMAN ARRESTED FOR GENOCIDE CRIMES

Arusha, March 22, 2002 (FH) - The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Thursday arrested in the Cameroonian capital Yaounde, yet another clergyman for genocide crimes. Hormisdas Nsengimana, a Catholic priest is the fifth cleric detained by the Tribunal, after Anglican Bishop Samuel Musabyimana, Adventist Pastor Elizaphan Ntakirutimana and Catholic Priests Emmanuel Rukundo and Athanase Seromba.

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Nsengimana, 48, was Rector of the Christ-Roi (Christ the King ) College in Nyanza province, Butare (south of Rwanda) in 1994. Prosecution alleges that he played a major role in the massacres of Tutsis in Butare region. He is said to be one of the leaders of a group of killers called "the dragons" (Les Dragons) or the "Escadron de la mort" (death squad). Hormisdas Nsengimana was born in Cyanika in Gikongoro province, south of Rwanda. His arrest order from the Tribunal was transmitted to Cameroonian authorities last week. Nsengimana is the tenth Rwandan to be arrested in Cameroon at the request of the ICTR. The nine others are two accused in the so-called Media Trial before the Tribunal, Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza and Ferdinand Nahimana, ex-mayor Laurent Semanza, ex-military officers Théoneste Bagosora and Anatole Nsengiyumva. Others are former ministers Jérôme Bicamumpaka, Justin Mugenzi, André Ntagerura and Prosper Mugiraneza. SW/FH (AR-0322e)