Octavien Ngenzi and Tito Barahira
Paris Assize Court on Friday confirmed life sentence to Octavien NGENZI andTito BARAHIRA, two former Bourgumesters of Kabarondo Commune in Eastern Rwanda for Genocide crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Rwanda 24 years ago.
Both Genocidaires were sentenced in first instance for life imprisonment two years ago.
The trial in appeal lasted for two months from May 2 to July 6, 2018.
The crimes were particularly committed in Kabarondo parish of the former Kibungo prefecture-current Eastern Province.
The case of these former Bourgmesters of Commune Kabarondo between 1977 and 1994 was opened in May 2016 where they were accused of giving orders to kill more than 3500 Tutsi that had sought refuge at Kabarondo Parish, crimes against humanity, intent to exterminate the mass and intent to exterminate the Tutsi.
The verdict was welcomed by both the Collectif des Parties Civiles pour le Rwanda (CPCR), a French based non-governmental organization that aims at bringing before court genocide fugitives in France and Rwandans at large.
“In the name of all Genocide victims, the CPCR is thankful of French justice for taking this decision, right decision ‘without hatred nor revenge’ but reminds that other Genocide suspects on French soil remain unpunished,” a statement by the organization reads.
“As we always reiterated, 24 years after the Genocide against tutsi, it becomes more and more difficult to bring to justice Genocide suspects living in France. Witnesses either disappear or prefer to change the narrative.”
“FInaly justice is given,” twitted Jacques Kabale, Rwanda’s ambassador to France referring to the ups and downs in this trial, one of the few that reached conclusion in a country with dozens of Genocide suspects who enjoy safe haven.
“They killed defenseless civilians, they did not protect babies, women, old men and women. They enjoyed to kill our people. #Ngenzi and #Barahira from #Kabarondo deserve to spend all their lives in Prison,” another tweet reads.
