Genocide suspects Mugimba, Iyamuremye appear before court

Two genocide suspects, Jean Baptiste Mugimba and Jean Claude Iyamuremye, who were recently extradited from The Netherlands, yesterday, appeared before Nyarugunga Primary Court for mention of their case.

The duo appeared with their lawyers, with proceedings followed by an observer from the Dutch government.

Mugimba was charged with seven counts that include; genocide, complicity to genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, murder and extermination as crimes against humanity, and direct and public incitement to commit genocide.

Iyamuremye was charged with the same charges apart from that of incitement to commit genocide.

Due to the seriousness of the charges, and the fact that the suspects have not lived in Rwanda for over two decades, prosecution requested court to remand them to allow for more investigations and finalise on full indictment.

After hearing the charges, both suspects pleaded not guilty.

But their lawyers prayed for more time with their clients to be able to prepare their defence, before the case can be scheduled for preliminary hearing.
The judge then set the hearing for today (Tuesday) in the afternoon.

The two men are accused of committing genocide in different parts of the City of Kigali.

Born on October 24, 1959 in the then Gaturo sector, Mutura Commune, which is part of the present-day Rubavu District, Mugimba during the Genocide, lived in Nyakabanda in the current Nyarugenge District.

He was employed by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) and was Secretary General of the Coalition for the Defence of the Republic (“CDR”), an extremist Hutu political party.

Iyamuremye was born on December 14, 1975, in the former Kicukiro Sector, Kanombe Commune which was part of the current Kicukiro District.

He is suspected of having been a leader of the Interahamwe militia in Kicukiro and was an influential member of the ruling party, Mouvement Révolutionnaire Nationale Pour Développement (MRND).

Their substantive trial is expected to be heard from the specialised chamber for international crimes at the High Court.

The New Times

UM– USEKE.RW