GENOCIDE SUSPECT KILLED TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS, SAYS CONVICT

Arusha, November 16, 2001 (FH) - Former Kangura newspaper editor andgenocide suspect Hassan Ngeze killed a Tutsi during the 1994 genocide toencourage others, a genocide convict told the International CriminalTribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Friday. According to Omar Serushago, Ngeze told militiamen in Gisenyi,northwest Rwanda: "Why have you kept these Tutsis waiting? I'm going to setyou an example, to show you how these Inyenzi (pejorative term for Tutsis)die".

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Serushago, a former Gisenyi militia leader, said Ngeze shot hisvictim in a Gisenyi cemetery, where Tutsis were killed and buried betweenApril and July 1994. "In that place known as the commune rouge, he (Ngeze)incited Interahamwe (militia) and members of the CDR (hardline Hutupolitical party) to kill," the convict told the court. "There were peoplewho cut up the bodies, who undressed the women and abused them beforekilling them. "Serushago was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 1999, afterpleading guilty to genocide before the ICTR. He is testifying against Ngezeand two other accused linked to media that incited Hutus to kill Tutsisduring the genocide. The other two are Ferdinand Nahimana, a founder andalleged ex-director of RTLM radio; and Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza, who was apolicy advisor to the Rwandan foreign ministry and RTLM board member. The witness told the court that Ngeze and Barayagwiza had alsodistributed arms to militiamen in Gisenyi. Serushago said Ngeze moved around town with a group of militiamen,selecting and picking up Tutsis at roadblocks. He said Ngeze and a certainHassan Bagoyi then took the Tutsis to "Commune rouge", where they were killed. Serushago is the 32nd prosecution witness in this trial. The caseis before Trial Chamber One of the ICTR, composed of judges NavanethemPillay (presiding), Erik Mose of Norway and Asoka de Zoysa Gunawardana ofSri Lanka. JC/AT/DO/FH (ME1116e)