Paris: Octavien Ngenzi and Barahira soon to face charges over 1994 genocide

This is the second trial to be held in France over the genocide suspects after the one of Captain Simbikangwa convicted recently. The suspects Tite Barahira and Octavien Ngenzi will face charges  for their alleged participation in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

The two men are accused of having actively participated into the killings of Tutsi, who hide in the Kabarondo Catholic Church on, April, 13, 1994.

According to the current situation, the college of judges is to decide whether the trial of the suspects or if further testimonies are needed.

If the trial of the suspects starts, it will be the second one after the one against Capt Simbikangwa who was sentenced to 25 years in jail for his involvement into the genocide against the Tutsi.

He was the Chief military intelligence during the Habyalimana regime.

Both Octavien Ngenzi and Tito Barahira were the mayors of the Rwandan communes since 1977-1986 and 1987-1994, respectively.

According to the persecution, these positions gave them opportunities to execute the genocidal ideology against the Tutsis in their respectively administrative territories.

Witnesses say that the 56 years old Octavien Ngenzi was an agronomist and was one of the most influential figures in the Kabarondo at the epoch.

According to the same witnesses, the 62 years old Tito Barahira, played a significant role in the propaganda and committing of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi

Both Ngenzi and Barahira fled Rwanda in April 1994 and Ngenzi was arrested in Mayotte islands, the same island where the Capt Simbikangwa was arrested in 2004.

In 2013, Barahira was arrested while living in one of French cities called Toulouse.

UM– USEKE.RW