Rwanda genocide tribunal transfers case to national court News
Rwanda genocide tribunal transfers case to national court
Photo source or description

[JURIST] The UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) [official website] on Monday transferred [press release] the case of Aloys Ndimbati [case materials] to the authorities of the Republic of Rwanda. Ndimbati, a former local government official in Rwanda, has been charged [indictment, PDF] with genocide, complicity in genocide, incitement to commit genocide, and crimes against humanity including murder, rape, and persecution. He remains at large. The Referral Chamber of the ICTR ruled upon the prosecution’s request to refer the case to Rwanda subject to several guidelines. Ndimbati’s case is the seventh to be transferred to Rwanda national courts in recent months.

Earlier this month, the case of Bernard Munyagishari [case materials] was transferred [JURIST report] to the Rwandan authorities. In May, the case of Ladislas Ntaganzwa [case materials] was transferred [JURIST report] to the Rwandan national court system. Ntaganzwa, a former mayor of Nyakizu commune in Butare, had been charged with with conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the Geneva Conventions. Jean-Bosco Uwinkindi [case materials], a former Rwandan pastor and a genocide suspect, was the first to be transferred [JURIST report] from the ICTR to the national court. Uwinkindi appealed the decision to transfer his case but it was rejected [JURIST reports] by the ICTR in December. He has been charged in 2001 with genocide and crimes against humanity. The other two transferred cases are against Fulgence Kayishema [case materials; JURIST report], a former police inspector, and Charles Sikubwabo [case materials], former Bourgmestre of Gishyita, Kibuye Prefecture. Both suspects remain at large.